October’s defining events that shook Pakistan

October, the 10th month of the calendar year, is now more than a fortnight old. For any nation, every day can become significant when important developments and events take place, with short- or long-term effects on the future. Nations that remember their history can learn from both good and bad events. These lessons can help them avoid decisions and actions that may lead to further problems.

October has assumed considerable importance in Pakistan’s turbulent political history. Several significant events have taken place during this month in the 79 years since Pakistan emerged as an independent country on August 14, 1947.

On October 16, 1951, just over four years after the creation of Pakistan, the country’s first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, was shot dead while addressing a public meeting at Gol Bagh in Rawalpindi. The site was later renamed Liaquat Bagh in his honour. His assassination was the first major political murder in the newly established country. The inquiry report into this mysterious killing has never been made public. It also remains unclear whether a post-mortem examination was conducted at the time.

Another tragic incident occurred on October 17, 1998, when Hamdard Foundation chairman and former Sindh governor Hakim Muhammad Saeed was shot dead by unknown assailants while travelling in his car to Hamdard Laboratories.

Hakim Muhammad Saeed was one of Pakistan’s most prominent researchers in Eastern medicine. He established the Hamdard Foundation in 1948 and authored or compiled around 200 books during his lifetime. His works covered medicine, philosophy, science, health, religion, natural remedies, literature, social issues and travelogues.

October has also witnessed military takeovers by army chiefs in different years.

Musharraf’s appointment and the 1999 coup

On October 7, 1998, then-president Muhammad Rafiq Tarar, acting on the recommendation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, appointed General Pervez Musharraf as the new chief of army staff (COAS). Musharraf superseded several generals senior to him.

He was subsequently appointed chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee on April 9, 1999, bringing the two senior military positions under one person.

The post of army chief had fallen vacant after General Jehangir Karamat was forced to resign by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Karamat had proposed a civil-military partnership in governance. A similar concept was later reflected in the establishment of the National Security Council through an Act of Parliament.

The chief of army staff is generally appointed for a three-year term. However, the tenure can be shortened or extended by the competent authority, depending on the circumstances and whether a civilian or military ruler is in power.

October 12, 1999, proved to be a turning point in Pakistan’s political history. The civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was overthrown, and General Pervez Musharraf seized power, assuming the title of chief executive. President Rafiq Tarar remained in office until 2001.

The events unfolded during the afternoon and culminated in the military takeover by the evening.

Initially, Pakistan Television (PTV), then the country’s only television broadcaster, aired a news ticker announcing that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had removed Musharraf as army chief and appointed then-Inter-Services Intelligence chief General Ziauddin Butt in his place.

A couple of hours later, another ticker announced that Nawaz Sharif had been ousted and Musharraf had seized power.

Had the prime minister’s decision been formally documented on an official file, events might have unfolded differently.

The coup took place as a flight carrying Musharraf and more than 200 passengers from Colombo, Sri Lanka, was reportedly denied permission to land at Karachi airport. Musharraf was returning from an official visit to Sri Lanka. Following the incident, the army intervened.

On October 14, 1999, Musharraf promulgated the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), holding the 1973 Constitution in abeyance. The order suspended the Senate, its chairman and deputy chairman, the National Assembly and provincial assemblies, along with their respective presiding officers. The federal and provincial governments were also dismissed.

It was an unprecedented development for the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, to be suspended in this manner.

Under the PCO, the National Security Council was established in October 1999 to advise the chief executive, who later became president, on matters concerning national security, sovereignty and the solidarity of Pakistan.

On June 20, 2001, before his visit to India, Musharraf assumed the office of president while retaining his position as army chief. President Rafiq Tarar was removed without being allowed to complete his tenure.

This contrasted with the treatment of President Fazal Elahi Chaudhry by General Zia-ul-Haq, who allowed him to complete his term after seizing power and overthrowing Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in July 1977.

In October 2001, Musharraf extended his own tenure as army chief indefinitely, until further orders. Of Pakistan’s three earlier military rulers, General Muhammad Ayub Khan relinquished the post of commander-in-chief after becoming president, appointing General Muhammad Musa as his successor. General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan and General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, however, retained their military positions after assuming the presidency.

In accordance with a Supreme Court directive, general elections were held on October 10, 2002, shortly before the expiry of the three-year period set by the country’s apex court.

Pakistan’s first martial law

To understand October’s place in Pakistan’s political history, it is necessary to revisit the events of 1958.

Major General Iskander Mirza was the last of Pakistan’s four governors-general and its first president following the enforcement of the 1956 Constitution. General Ayub Khan was the third commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, succeeding two British generals and becoming the first Pakistani Muslim to hold the position.

Political developments during the early years of the country often involved rivalries, intrigues and power struggles. The situation deteriorated to the extent that the deputy speaker of the East Pakistan Assembly was beaten to death in the first week of October 1958.

Describing the situation as intolerable, President Iskander Mirza imposed Pakistan’s first full-fledged martial law on October 7, 1958. He dismissed the central government of Prime Minister Feroz Khan Noon and appointed General Ayub Khan as chief martial law administrator.

The move derailed the democratic process and marked a major turning point in the military’s intervention in civilian affairs.

However, the development did not end there. Just 20 days later, on October 27, 1958, Ayub Khan removed Iskander Mirza from the presidency and assumed the office himself.

October also witnessed the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan on October 16, 1951. He was succeeded as prime minister by Khawaja Nazimuddin, who had stepped down as governor-general to take the position on October 17, 1951.

Over the years, Pakistan’s democratic process was repeatedly interrupted, and the National and provincial assemblies were dissolved on several occasions.

The country’s third governor-general, Malik Ghulam Muhammad, had set an early precedent by dissolving the Constituent Assembly in October 1954, just as the draft Constitution was ready to be presented for consideration and approval.

Pakistan’s third prime minister, Muhammad Ali Bogra, was not immediately dismissed. Instead, he was asked to continue running the administration until fresh general elections could be held. He remained in office with a reconstituted cabinet.

Elections and political transitions

Pakistan’s political history has also witnessed important democratic developments in October.

General elections for the ninth National Assembly were held on October 24, 1990, paving the way for Nawaz Sharif to become the country’s 13th prime minister.

Elections to the 10th National Assembly took place on October 6, 1993. Its first session was held on October 13. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani took oath as speaker of the National Assembly on October 17, while Benazir Bhutto became prime minister for the second time on October 19, 1993, becoming the country’s 17th prime minister.

By the time Nawaz Sharif was removed from office on October 12, 1999, both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had served two terms as prime minister during the preceding decade, from December 1988 to October 1999.

These successive changes of government reflected the political instability that marked much of Pakistan’s early democratic experience. Political rivalries, institutional tensions and repeated military interventions prevented the country’s democratic institutions from developing without interruption.

The earthquake that devastated Pakistan

Political upheavals were not the only events to shake Pakistan in October. Nature also inflicted immense suffering on the country.

On October 8, 2005, a devastating earthquake struck Pakistan, causing widespread destruction in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and other areas. The disaster left thousands dead, injured and displaced, while homes and infrastructure were destroyed.

Billions of rupees have been spent on relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation since the earthquake. Yet the recovery process has remained a major challenge for affected communities.

The disaster remains one of the most painful events in Pakistan’s recent history, reminding the country of the importance of preparedness, effective disaster management and sustained support for affected populations.

Learning from history

These events are only some of the developments that have made October a significant month in Pakistan’s history. Political assassinations, military takeovers, constitutional disruptions, elections and natural disasters have all shaped the country’s journey.

History is not merely a record of dates and events. It also offers lessons about governance, institutional stability, political responsibility and the consequences of decisions taken by those in power.

Pakistan’s experience shows how political instability and repeated interruptions to democratic processes can affect the development of national institutions. It also demonstrates the importance of protecting constitutional continuity and ensuring that public institutions function within their defined roles.

More developments will inevitably unfold in the coming days, weeks, months and years. Their consequences will depend partly on the decisions made by the country’s rulers, political leaders and institutions.

There is no harm in hoping and praying for better times ahead. May Pakistan remain safe, secure, peaceful and prosperous, and may its people continue to work towards a more stable and developed future.

The writer is a Lahore-based freelance journalist, columnist and retired deputy controller (news) at Radio Pakistan, Islamabad. He can be reached at zahidriffat@gmail.com.