Pakistan: Timeline of key events

1906

Muslim League founded.

1940

Muslim League adopts principle of a separate nation for India’s Muslims.

1947

India partitioned creating East and West Pakistan. Around one million die in communal violence, millions more are displaced.

1948

Pakistan army invades Balochistan. Dispute over Kashmir leads to first war between India and Pakistan.

1952

Student uprising in East Pakistan protesting against Urdu as sole national language.

1955

Pakistan joins the Baghdad Pact, later known as the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO).

1958

Pakistan’s first military dictatorship: General Ayub Khan takes over.

1965

Second war with India over Kashmir.

1968

Mass movement triggered by students leads to overthrow of military dictatorship.

1970

Pakistan’s first proper general election. Awami League wins in East Pakistan.

1971

Army repression in East Pakistan leads to over a million deaths. Army defeated by India. East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto takes office as president.

1972

Mass strike in Karachi.

1977

General Zia leads coup overthrowing Bhutto.

1978

Zia introduces elements of sharia law.

1979

Bhutto hanged.

1980

Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Pakistan becomes key US ally.

1988

Zia killed in plane crash.

1988

Bhutto’s daughter, Benazir, becomes prime minister, holding office 1988–90 and 1993–6.

1988

First structural adjustment agreement with the IMF.

1991

Nawaz Sharif takes office. Prime minister 1991–3 and 1997–9.

1998

India explodes nuclear devices followed by Pakistan carrying out its own nuclear tests.

1999

Military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf.

2001

Musharraf supports US attacks on Afghanistan.

2004

Renewed insurgency in Balochistan.

March 2007

Musharraf suspends Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Protest movement across Pakistan.

July 2007

Chaudhry reinstated by Supreme Court.

Nov 2007

Musharraf declares emergency rule.

Dec 2007

State of emergency lifted. Benazir Bhutto assassinated.

Aug 2008

Musharraf resigns.

Sept 2008

Asif Ali Zardari, widower of Benazir Bhutto, elected president.

April 2009

Army invasion of Swat: thousands killed, over two million refugees.

Aug 2010

Monsoon floods kill over 1,600, 20 million people displaced.

April 2011

Osama Bin Laden, found hiding in Pakistan, is seized and killed by American special forces.

May 2013

General election. Nawaz Sharif’s Muslim League declared victor. Widespread protests alleging vote-rigging.

June 2014

Taliban attack on Karachi airport. Army launches Operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan.

Aug 2014

PTI leader Imran Khan and cleric Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri lead march on Islamabad followed by sit-in before Parliament House.

Dec 2014

Taliban attack on Army Public School in Peshawar. 150 killed, mostly children. Islamabad sit-in called off.

Jan 2015

National Action Plan established to tackle Taliban. Moratorium on use of death penalty lifted.

Feb 2016

Eight day strike at Pakistan International Airlines after the military fire on demonstration killing two employees.