As elections near, a timeline of Pakistan’s troubled history of military interventions

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Updated 04 February 2024
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As elections near, a timeline of Pakistan’s troubled history of military interventions

  • Pakistan has been ruled directly by its military for over 30 years of its history 
  • Analysts say civilian politicians willing to do army’s bidding have damaged democracy

ISLAMABAD: Millions of Pakistanis will head to the polls on Feb. 8 to cast their vote in the thirteenth general elections in a South Asian nation where democracy remains fragile under the shadow of military rule and civilian politicians willing to do the army’s bidding, damaging long-term prospects for democracy.

The nuclear-armed nation of over 240 million people has been ruled directly by its all-powerful army for over 30 years of its history, and even when not in power, the military remains the invisible guiding hand of politics, with an outsized role in decision making related to foreign affairs, national security and the economy. The army says it no longer interferes in political affairs. 

“Of the many disadvantages that Pakistan has suffered because of military coups, discontinuity and constant interruption in the political setup, in the running of the government, and indeed in the running of the parliament, has been the biggest disadvantage,” Nasim Zehra, Pakistani author and journalist, told Arab News. 

She said military coups had instilled a “lack of security and unpredictability of policy” in the country, and created an “almost dangerous” competition among Pakistan’s political classes, constantly clamoring to curry favor with the army to stay in, or entrench themselves, in power. 

It was unfortunate that the army had always found “civilian partners” to exert political influence, Zehra said, and it was civilian politicians who bent laws to accommodate generals, undermining the trust of the people and further entrenching the military’s power.

And even though the last coup in Pakistan was in 1999, Pakistanis would only be able to convincingly say the era of military rule was over for good if political parties and their leaders said with one voice and believed that they would not support any future “military adventure,” Zehra said: 

“But that seems not on the cards as of now.”

Here is a look back at Pakistan’s troubled political history of military intervention:

“TROUBLED HISTORY”

In Pakistan’s first military coup in 1958, Governor-General Iskander Mirza enforced martial law and appointed Commander-in-Chief General Ayub Khan as chief martial law administrator. Just thirteen days later, Khan assumed the presidency and sacked Mirza, who was exiled to England. 

Protests mounted against Khan after ruling for over a decade, with discontent heightening in the country’s East Pakistan wing, present day Bangladesh. But rather than resigning and allowing a constitutional transfer of power, Khan requested that Yahya Khan, then Commander-in-Chief of the Army, use the military’s supra-constitutional authority to declare martial law and take power, which he did on March 25, 1969.

Elections took place in 1970, to date considered one of the most transparent polls in the country’s history, but led to widespread unrest when East Pakistani leader Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman’s Awami Muslim League (AML) party emerged the winner but was not allowed to form government by Yahya Khan and the AML’s main political rival, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which was popular in West Pakistan. 

The delay in the inauguration of the National Assembly unleashed significant unrest in East Pakistan, with the situation deteriorating into a civil war that led to the secession of the east wing of the country and the creation of the independent state of Bangladesh in March 1971. 

Martial law was finally lifted in Pakistan in 1972 and Bhutto became prime minister in 1973 after a new constitution proclaimed Pakistan a democratic country. Bhutto took over the reins of a demoralized country that had suffered humiliation in war and governed Pakistan until elections in 1977.

The PPP won a majority in the elections as the right-wing religious opposition Pakistan National Alliance accused Bhutto of rigging. Protests and unrest followed, prompting Pakistani army chief General Zia-ul-Haq to remove Bhutto in a bloodless coup, suspend the constitution and declare martial law. The new military ruler promised “free and fair elections” within 90 days, but these were repeatedly postponed and it was not until 1985 that party-less general elections were held and a new assembly elected Muhammad Khan Junejo as prime minister while Haq was president. 

Haq dismissed Junejo’s government three years later in 1988. The military ruler himself stayed in power for a total of 11 years until his death in a plane crash.

From 1988 to 1998, Pakistan was governed by former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, two bitter rivals heading the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PPP, respectively. This democratic period in Pakistan was marred by allegations of corruption against the two leaders and both their tenures were cut short controversially on charges of corruption. 

Pakistan’s last military coup took place in 1999, after tensions mounted between Sharif and then-army chief General Pervez Musharraf over Pakistan’s military action against India in Kargil. When Sharif attempted to sack Musharraf and appoint another army general in his place, the Pakistani army chief overthrew his government and declared martial law on Oct. 14, 1999.

Musharraf’s coup was ratified by Pakistan’s top court and in 2001, he assumed the office of the president. In 2002, polls were held in Pakistan and a king’s party led by Sharif’s former political aides, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), formed government at the center.

After widespread protests amid his plummeting popularity, the military ruler, a key Washington ally during the War on Terror, resigned as president under the threat of impeachment in 2008 and was replaced by Benazir Bhutto’s widower Asif Ali Zardari. 

Musharraf’s was Pakistan’s last military coup but analysts remain wary of the military’s continuing influence over politics. 

“HYBRID REGIME”

Pakistani journalist and political analyst Zarrar Khuhro said the future of the country’s democracy was “bleak,” considering the military’s overarching and enduring influence over politics. 

“There won’t be any real stability in the political system even after these elections, provided these elections do happen,” Khuhro told Arab News. 

“And that is not a bug of the system, that is a feature of the system. It is designed to be unstable so that the [military] establishment’s huge influence on Pakistani politics can be maintained.”

What was worse, he argued, Pakistan was now run as a “hybrid” regime in which the military retained control over multiple domains including politics without actually having to carry out a military coup.

“Because it [hybrid regime] provides the illusion of democracy,” Khuhro added, “thus discrediting the entire democratic process itself.”

Veteran Pakistani journalist and political commentator, Hamid Mir, said it was unfortunate that the military as the most important institution in the country had repeatedly abrogated the law and damaged the constitution, the only binding document.

“Now you see, the forces that refer to themselves as the guardians of Pakistan or say that they have to save Pakistan or that we are fighting for Pakistan, are the biggest enemies of this constitution,” Mir told Arab News. 

“They think nothing of it [constitution], so this is a huge contradiction.”


Pakistani startup Bookme eyes $20 million annual revenue from Saudi Arabia expansion

Updated 10 July 2025
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Pakistani startup Bookme eyes $20 million annual revenue from Saudi Arabia expansion

  • Bookme is a Pakistani e-ticketing platform that offers online tickets for movies, events, flights and hotels
  • Bookme founder eyes expansion further into Middle East, African countries after gaining foothold in Kingdom 

ISLAMABAD: The founder of a Pakistani leading e-ticketing platform, Bookme, said this week he expects the startup to generate $20 million annually from its expansion into Saudi Arabia, following its recent deal with the Kingdom’s leading delivery platform, Mrsool. 

Founded in 2013, Bookme is Pakistan’s leading cashless e-ticketing platform, offering users online bookings for train and bus travel, flights, hotels, cinemas and other events. The startup has quickly gained a foothold across Pakistan, forging partnerships with major transport and fintech companies. Today, Bookme says it has over 14 million users. 

Bookme entered the Saudi market in 2024 via a strategic partnership with Mrsool, a leading food and package delivery app in the Kingdom, and the Saudi Tourism Ministry (STA). In early 2025, it also signed a deal with flyadeal, a low-cost Saudi airline, to facilitate direct flight bookings between Pakistan and the Kingdom’s cities.

“Bookme expects to generate around $20 million in additional annual revenue from its expansion in Saudi Arabia,” the company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Faizan Aslam told Arab News via telephone.

“The Mrsool contract alone is worth around $5 million annually and the flyadeal partnership is valued at approximately $4 million,” he added. 

He said Bookme’s integration with Mrsool was completed, adding that it was expected to go live by the end of July.

“Mrsool is one of the most popular mobile applications in Saudi Arabia and very soon, its users will also be able to book airline tickets and make hotel reservations across the globe directly within the Saudi Mrsool app,” Aslam said.

Aslam said Mrsool was the first “drop of the rain,” adding that Bookme had several other partnerships in the pipeline, including ones with the Kingdom’s leading banks and fintech companies.

Without disclosing any names, Aslam said Bookme had already signed three contracts, including ones with two banks that were pending approval from Saudi Arabia’s central bank.

Aslam said the users of these banks would soon be able to access similar services from their respective applications.

On its flyadeal collaboration, the Bookme founder said the platform had aimed to support the airline’s growth by tapping into its large user base built through strong traction within the Pakistani market.

He noted that flyadeal recently began flight operations from Karachi, adding that it is also set to launch services from Lahore and Islamabad soon.

“Through this partnership, Bookme can help drive a significant number of new passengers to flyadeal,” Aslam said. 

Aslam shared that Bookme’s ticket fares were around 6–7 percent lower than the market average, with discounts rising to as much as 15 percent during seasonal promotions.

Aslam highlighted the e-ticketing platform’s partnership with the STA to promote the Kingdom as a top destination for Pakistani travelers.

“We are not a Hajj or Umrah operator or a traditional group travel agency,” he said. “We focus on business travelers, families and leisure passengers moving between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” Aslam added. 

He explained that Bookme runs campaigns, events and influencer marketing initiatives with the STA to position the Kingdom as a preferred destination for Pakistani travelers.

The startup is currently growing at approximately 130 percent year-on-year basis, Aslam said. He said the platform was expected to reach greater heights through its expansion into Saudi Arabia.

“With the full-scale launch of operations in Saudi Arabia, our growth is expected to accelerate significantly, potentially reaching three to four times the current levels annually,” the Bookme founder said. 

Bookme has raised around $10 million in funding to date and plans to raise another funding round to support its broader regional expansion. Aslam, however did not disclose further details.

While Saudi Arabia remains its primary focus, Bookme is also targeting expansion across the Middle East and Africa, using Saudi Arabia as its regional base.

“We are trying to sign deals in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar through our Saudi office, with plans to expand into Africa— starting with South Africa and Tanzania— while our primary focus remains on the GCC and broader Middle East region,” he said.


Digital, forensic evidence suggests actress Humaira Asghar Ali died in Oct. 2024 — officials 

Updated 09 July 2025
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Digital, forensic evidence suggests actress Humaira Asghar Ali died in Oct. 2024 — officials 

  • Ali’s decomposed body was found at a flat in Karachi on Tuesday when a court bailiff arrived to vacate the rented property 
  • Police cite phone data, social media inactivity to estimate death occurred nine months ago, family declines to claim body

KARACHI: Pakistani actress and model Humaira Asghar Ali is believed to have died at least nine months ago in October 2024 based on digital and forensic evidence, investigators told Arab News on Thursday, after her decomposed body was discovered this week in her Karachi apartment.

Ali’s remains were found at a flat in the city’s Ittehad Commercial area when a court bailiff arrived to vacate the rented property on Tuesday, following a complaint by the landlord. Police said the bailiff broke open the door and found the deceased inside.

Initially, Karachi Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed, who conducted the post-mortem, said the body’s “very advanced stage of decomposition” suggested death had occurred around a month prior.

However, police investigations into Ali’s phone records, her last social media activity and interviews with neighbors found no indication that she had been alive after October 2024, Arab News has found. Her last Facebook post was on September 11, 2024 and last Instagram post on September 30, 2024. Neighbors interviewed by police and reporters said they had not seen her since Sept-Oct last year. 

Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza confirmed that Ali’s phone was last active in October 2024, with the final recorded call placed that month.

“As per Call Detail Record (CDR) the last call was made in October 2024,” Raza told Arab News, without offering further details.

Two officials with direct knowledge of the case, who declined to be named, said the estimated time of death was around October 2024.

“Humaira’s body is likely nine months old,” the first official said on condition of anonymity. “She probably died between paying her last utility bills and when her electricity was disconnected in October 2024, probably due to non-payment of the bill.”

A second official who also requested anonymity said expired food items and rusted containers in the kitchen supported that timeline.

“The jars had rusted, and food had expired six months ago,” the official said. 

There was only one other apartment on the same floor, which was vacant at the time, possibly delaying detection, investigators said. 

“The occupants of that apartment told us they returned in February, and by then the smell had faded. After ten to fifteen days, the odour starts to decrease. The balcony door had also been left open,” the second official added.

Water pipes in the home were dry and rusted and no alternative power source was found. 

“There were no candles either,” the official said.

Police surgeon Syed, who conducted the autopsy on Tuesday, returned to the apartment on Wednesday with senior officers.

“We have collected multiple surface samples from the scene, which have been sent to the laboratory,” she said, declining to provide further comment.

Police said Ali’s family had declined to claim the body. It is unclear whether she was estranged from her relatives or what the exact reason was that they had refused to receive her remains. 

Ali rose to fame after winning Veet Miss Super Model in 2014 and appearing in reality show Tamasha Ghar in 2022.

She has featured in television dramas such as Just Married, Ehsaan Faramosh, Guru, and Chal Dil Mere. In cinema, she appeared in the 2015 action-thriller Jalaibee and later in Love Vaccine in 2021.


Pakistan military dismisses fears of Iran-style strikes on its nuclear sites

Updated 09 July 2025
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Pakistan military dismisses fears of Iran-style strikes on its nuclear sites

  • Army says ‘no concern whatsoever’ about becoming ‘next target’ after Israel-US attacks on Iran
  • Military spokesman warns any misadventure against nuclear Pakistan would have ‘horrific consequences’

ISLAMABAD: Military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Wednesday there was “absolutely no concern” within Pakistan’s military establishment that Pakistan could become the “next target” for attacks on its nuclear facilities, following last month’s conflict between Israel and Iran.

In June, Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites after Tel Aviv claimed Tehran was close to developing nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denied. Pakistan condemned the Israeli and American strikes at the time, calling them a violation of international law. Islamabad has repeatedly assured the world that its nuclear assets are secure and intended solely for deterrence.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Chaudhry was asked if there were concerns Pakistan could be targeted next in light of recent developments in the Middle East.

“There is absolutely no concern, whatsoever, in the military, that Pakistan can become the next target,” Chaudhry responded.

He said Pakistan was an established and declared nuclear power, adding that the world had never attempted a “misadventure” against a nuclear state.

“And if such a misadventure is taken or attempted, then it will lead to horrific consequences which the world may not be able to endure,” he warned.

The army spokesperson reiterated that seeking conflict with a nuclear-armed country was “absurd, sheer stupidity and inconceivable.”

His comments come amid heightened regional tensions and renewed focus on nuclear security following the Israel-Iran conflict. 

In early May, India and Pakistan engaged in their worst fighting in decades after Delhi blamed Islamabad for supporting an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April, an allegation Pakistan denied. The clashes included missile strikes, fighter jet operations, artillery fire and drone attacks, leaving more than 70 dead on both sides before a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.

Though the ceasefire has held, tensions remain high. India has since put a decades-old water-sharing agreement on hold, with Islamabad warning that any attempt to divert or stop its waters would be treated as an “act of war” and met with full force.


Pakistan waives all duties, taxes on sugar imports to curb price hikes

Updated 09 July 2025
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Pakistan waives all duties, taxes on sugar imports to curb price hikes

  • Announcement comes as sugar prices surge to Rs200 [$0.70] per kg in several parts of Pakistan
  • Pakistan to import 350,000 tons of sugar in two phases initially, says food security ministry 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Food Security Ministry announced on Wednesday it has decided to waive all duties and taxes on sugar imports to ensure the product is available to the public at affordable prices. 

In Pakistan, high sugar prices have triggered public outcry and become flashpoints for opposition criticism in the past, with allegations of hoarding and cartelization frequently surfacing in election years or periods of economic volatility.

The latest announcement from the ministry comes as sugar prices surge to nearly Rs200 [$0.70] per kilogram in several parts of the country, triggering public concern. National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain chaired a meeting of the steering committee on sugar on Wednesday, which decided to import the commodity through the Trade Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to ensure transparency and quality control. 
“To facilitate this process, the government has exempted all duties and taxes on sugar imports so that sugar can be made available to the general public at affordable prices and inflationary pressures can be eased,” the ministry said in a statement. 

It said sugar will be imported initially in two phases. In the first phase, a tender for 200,000 metric tons of sugar will be issued, followed by another tender for 150,000 metric tons after one week.

The ministry said these import quantities have been determined in line with immediate market requirements and anticipated demand in the coming weeks.

“The imported sugar will be of premium quality, meeting standard market expectations— specifically, the coarse-grain variety commonly used by consumers,” the statement said.

“Additionally, post-shipment inspection will be strictly enforced to ensure that quality standards are upheld.”

Hussain said the government would deploy a streamlined and “active system” to guarantee timely distribution of imported sugar across the country, leaving no room for hoarding or profiteering.

“He expressed hope that this strategic intervention will help stabilize sugar prices in the local market and significantly ease the financial burden on consumers,” the ministry said. 


Saudi aviation team to conduct security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August

Updated 09 July 2025
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Saudi aviation team to conduct security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August

  • Saudi team to conduct audit at airports in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Multan, says official
  • Saudi Arabia’s aviation team expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s aviation security procedures in its last audit two years ago 

KARACHI: A Saudi aviation team will conduct a security audit of seven Pakistani airports in August, a Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) spokesperson said on Wednesday. 

The security audit will cover airports in Pakistan’s Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Multan cities, PCAA spokesperson Shahid Qadir said.

He said the director-general of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has approached Pakistan’s DG PCAA, Nadir Shafi Dar, to conduct the aviation security audit. 

“A Saudi aviation security team will visit Pakistan in the coming month and will conduct this audit in August and onwards,” Qadir told Arab News. 

The Saudi aviation team is coordinating closely with the PCAA’s Directorate of Aviation Security (AvSec), which will host the visiting delegation, Qadir said. The PCAA’s director general has designated the AvSec director to oversee the audit process, he added. 

This marks the second such audit by Saudi aviation authorities, who conducted their inaugural security assessment of Pakistan in 2023. The Saudi team later expressed satisfaction with Pakistan’s aviation security procedures, which involve multiple stakeholders such as the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), the Airport Security Force (ASF), airlines, cargo handlers and catering companies.

The development takes place as Pakistan’s civil aviation sector shows marked improvement in international benchmarks.

Following the separation of the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) from the PCAA and the enactment of the Civil Aviation Authority Act, Pakistan has achieved a score of 86.73 percent in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP). 

As per the PCAA, this rating is higher than the global average of 71 percent and India’s 73 percent.

Separately, a two-member team from the United Kingdom’s Department for Transport (DfT) began its aviation security assessment of the Islamabad International Airport on Tuesday.

The team, accompanied by a representative of the British High Commission, will review airport security procedures, catering, and flight operations over its three-day visit.

“All aviation security stakeholders, including PAA officials, ASF personnel and representatives from PIA, British Airways, Air Blue, Kitchen Cuisine, Ras Menzies and others attended the initial briefing,” a PCAA handout said.

The PCAA said Pakistan has previously performed well in the UK’s DfT audits, saying that officials are optimistic about the outcome of the latest assessment. 

The PCAA said its director general has also initiated engagement with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in pursuit of direct flight operations to the US.

The development follows Pakistan’s national carrier resuming flights to Europe in January after the European aviation safety agency lifted its four-year ban on the airline.

Pakistan International Airlines has also approached UK authorities for permission to resume its services to the country. 

PIA was banned by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UK and the US after Pakistan opened an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses following a PIA plane crash in Karachi in May 2020 that killed 97 people.