Following the British withdrawal from Indian sub-continent in 1947, Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947. The state that merged from the partition of India included the territory to the north-east and north-west of India, an eastern wing comprising the eastern half of Bengal province and parts of Assam, in which the population was predominantly Muslim.

The `Partition' of the sub-continent of India led to unprecendented violence between Hindus and Muslims, costing the lives of more than a million people. Seven and a half million Muslim refugees fled to both parts of Pakistan from India, and ten million Hindus left Pakistan for India.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, became the new state's first governor-general and Liaqat Ali Khan became the first Prime Minister. Unfortunately, Muhammad Ali Jinnah could not survive for a long and died on December 25, 1948. Other mishap happened when the country's liberal constitution was opposed by the orthodox Muslim sector, and in 1951 the Prime Minister, Liaqat Ali Khan, was assasinated by an Afghan fanatic.

In 1954 a state of emergency was declared and a new constitution adopted on March 23, 1956.When attempts to adopt a multi-party system failed, Muhammad Ayub Khan (1907-74) seized power in a coup in October 1958 and imposed martial law. His decade of power produced economic growth, but also political resentment. The two wings of Pakistan, East and West Pakistan, were separated by a thousand miles of Indian territory. Before partition, major industrial sector was established in West Pakistan while East Pakistan had lot of Jute as a raw-material and fishing. So after the partition, some kind of misunderstandings created among the East-Pakistanis (Bengalis) and allegations by the Bengalis in East Pakistan against West Pakistan's disproportionate share of the state's assets led to demands by the Awami League, led by Mujibur Rahman, for regional autonomy.

On the other hand in East Pakistan, Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan was ousted by General Yahya Khan in March 1969. Finally, the country's first free elections were held in December 1970. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's PPP (Pakistan People's Party)dominated in the West, while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League swept in the East. Mujib's call for autonomy was opposed by Yahya and Bhutto, leading a civil war in 1970 in the Eastern wing of Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Civil war ensued after Yahya's troops arrested Mujib and tried to put down the uprising. In the ensuing civil war, the Bengali dissidents defeated Pakistani army, with Indian help, and established the new state of People's Republic of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971. Following the separation of East Pakistan (Bangladesh), Yahya, in West Pakistan, handed over power to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1928-79) who introduced constitutional, social and economic reforms.

Gen. Zia-ul-Haq deposed Bhutto in July 1977 and tried him for abetting the murder of a political opponent. Zia again imposed Marshal law in the country. Bhutto was hanged in 1979 after the decision of court and proving guilty. The regime of General Zia Ul-Haq (1977-88) was committed to an Islamic code of laws. The Zia era brought an economic growth and peace in the country. Martial law was lifted in 1986, anticipating a slow but steady return to democracy. Zia died in an air crash in August 1988.

Following Zia's death, Bhutto's daughter Benazir Bhutto won election and became a new leader (Prime Minister) of the country in November, 1988. She was dismissed by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990 having charges of malpractice, corruption and nepotism.

Election held in 1990 and a coalition government headed by Nawaz Sharif was voted to power but agian in mid 1993, Sharif was dismissed by the same President, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, amid charges of electoral fraud and massive corruption. Although the charges were never proved and the government was restored by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Sharif resigned and decided to go to the public. Once again, election held in October 1993 and Benazir Bhutto was swept back into power. This time she made it possible to elect a President from her own party so that no fear of dismissal but again she was dismissed by her own President, Farooq Leghari, amid charges of massive corruption, misuse of power, commission and kick-backs in leading national financial issues.

Again free and pure election held in 1997. This time among other usual political parties, Imran Khan, ex-cricketer and national hero who did his job very well in the field of cricket and succeeded to achieve the national dream of winning World Cup for cricket, also took part in the election dynamically under the flag of a separate political party named `Tehrik-i-Insaf' but he could not make up. Finally, once again the nation as a whole trusted in Pakistan Muslim League and Nawaz Sharif was swept back into power with more than 2/3rd majority. He is not only doing his job very well but he took very critical decisions also at very critial time, like going for Nuclear option after the the series of nuclear explosion by India in May 1998. There was a lot of criticism for that decision but Pakistani people, at a large, applauded this timely decision very much. That decision was necessary to maintain the balance of power in the region.

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