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Line 29: − + − − ==History== − [[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]] − What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. − − Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. − − The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. − − ====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan==== − [[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]] − The idea of a separate Muslim state in the British Raj first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Ghaffar Khan said that bogus votes were polled in favor of Pakistan. <ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. − The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day. − − In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref> − {{Clear}} − − ====Independence==== − [[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]] − ====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq==== − With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. − − Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. − − Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). − − In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. − − ====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments==== − [[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]] − On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. − − The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). − − Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. − − In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. − − Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. − − However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. − − An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. − − In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as President in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. − [[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]] − In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. − − The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif. − − ====Pervez Musharraf==== − [[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]] − Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. − − After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf pledged complete cooperation with the United States in the war on terror, which included locating and shutting down terrorist training camps within Pakistan's borders, cracking down on extremist groups and withdrawing support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. − − On October 8, 2005 a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected. − − ====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto==== − Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi. Line 124:
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Line 133: − Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. + Line 199:
Line 139: − + − − Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref> − + Line 257:
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The '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''' is a country of south [[Asia]] created by the British in 1947 as a state for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on August 14, 1947. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. The nation is about 97% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> The Pakistani government actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> In recent years, the militant insurgency has waned considerably however.<ref>https://apnews.com/fca536aebf9b70141f22d99d4f94ba9b</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, there have been attempts by Congress to remove it due to Pakistani support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref>
The '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''' is a country of south [[Asia]] created in 1947 as a state for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on August 14, 1947. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. The nation is about 97% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native to the region had to flee to India during communal violence in 1947 in which Muslims, and Hindus and Sikhs suffered mass casualties on the Indian and Pakistani sides respectively.<ref>http://www.uh.edu/~sriaz/religion/index.html</ref> Pakistan is an important country geostrategically, with the world's sixth largest population and a military possessing nuclear weapons — but it remains prone to economic and governance challenges as a developing market. It is historically friendly to the U.S. but shares a conflicted relationship with its eastern neighbour, India. Pakistan's political system and security situation became unstable following the onset of the global War against Terror in the region, with [[Taliban]] insurgents growing in strength in remote mountain regions of the northwest, where they support the insurgency in neighboring [[Afghanistan]]. In recent years, the militant insurgency has waned considerably however.<ref>https://apnews.com/fca536aebf9b70141f22d99d4f94ba9b</ref> Pakistan is regarded as a major non-[[NATO]] ally of the United States,<ref>https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/no-india-isnt-a-major-non-nato-ally-of-the-united-states/</ref><ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/exclusive-pakistan-hires-republican-lobbyist-us-ties-1674127-2020-05-04</ref> and is viewed as a key powerbroker in Afghanistan, as part of efforts to end the War in Afghanistan and hold peace negotiations between the Taliban and Afghan government, a strategy which remains part of the United States's security interests.<ref>https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/trump-bets-pakistan-deliver-peace-afghanistan-0</ref>
==People==
==People==
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan.
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan.
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref>
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s, Ahmadiyya Muslims and the Muhajir Urdu <ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref>
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance.
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance.
The U.S.-Pakistan relationship changed significantly once Pakistan agreed to support the U.S. campaign to eliminate the Taliban in Afghanistan and to join the United States in the Global War on Terror. Since September 2001, Pakistan has provided extensive assistance in the war on terror by capturing more than 600 al-Qaida members and their allies. The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.
Following the region’s tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan’s call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions.
Following the region’s tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan’s call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions.
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction.
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction.
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan.
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, further reflecting their deepening strategic partnership. President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. The U.S.-Pakistan strategic partnership is based on the shared interests of the United States and Pakistan in building stable and sustainable democracy and in promoting peace and security, stability, prosperity, and democracy in South Asia and across the globe.
====Osama Bin Laden====
====Osama Bin Laden====
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref>
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref>
Although the Pakistani government had long declared that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref>
Although the Pakistani government had long declared that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref>
==Defense==
==Defense==
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.
==History==
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period.
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. In a decision that had far-reaching consequences, the British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of Kashmir, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power.
Pakistan emerged from an extended period of agitation by some Muslims in the Indian subcontinent to express their national identity free from British colonial domination as well as domination by what they perceived as a Hindu-controlled Indian National Congress. Muslim anti-colonial leaders formed the All-India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League was unable to agree with Congress on a formula that would ensure what they saw as the protection of Muslim religious, economic, and political rights. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan.
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]
The idea of a separate Muslim state in the British Raj first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom moved with increasing urgency to grant India independence. The Congress Party and the Muslim League, however, could not agree on the terms for a Constitution or establishing an interim government. In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971.
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.
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====Independence====
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]
With the death in 1948 of its first head of state, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the assassination in 1951 of its first prime minister, Liaqat Ali Khan, political instability and economic difficulty became prominent features of post-independence Pakistan. On October 7, 1958, President Iskander Mirza, with the support of the army, suspended the 1956 Constitution, imposed martial law, and canceled the elections scheduled for January 1959. Twenty days later the military sent Mirza into exile to Britain, and Gen. Mohammad Ayub Khan assumed control of a military dictatorship. After Pakistan's loss in the 1965 war against India, Ayub Khan's power declined. Subsequent political and economic grievances inspired agitation movements that compelled his resignation in March 1969. He handed over responsibility for governing to the commander in chief of the army, General Agha Mohammed Yahya Khan, who became President and Chief Martial Law Administrator.
General elections held in December 1970 polarized relations between the eastern and western sections of Pakistan. The Awami League, which advocated autonomy for the more populous East Pakistan, swept the East Pakistan seats to gain a majority in Pakistan as a whole. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), founded and led by Ayub Khan's former Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, won a majority of the seats in West Pakistan, but the country was completely split with neither major party having any support in the other area. Negotiations to form a coalition government broke down. On March 26, 1971, following a bloody crackdown by the Pakistan Army, Bengali nationalists declared an independent People's Republic of Bangladesh. As fighting grew between the army and the Bengalis, an estimated 10 million Bengalis sought refuge in India. On April 17, 1971, Bengali nationalists formed a provisional government in an area bordering India, and in November 1971, India sent its military into East Pakistan to intervene on the side of the Bangladeshis. On December 16, Pakistani forces surrendered in Dhaka, and East Pakistan became the new nation of Bangladesh. Yahya Khan then resigned the presidency and handed over leadership of the western part of Pakistan to Bhutto, who became President and the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator.
Bhutto moved decisively to restore national confidence and pursued an active foreign policy, taking a leading role in Islamic and Third World forums. Although Pakistan did not formally join the Non-Aligned Movement until 1979, the position of the Bhutto government coincided largely with that of the non-aligned nations. Domestically, Bhutto pursued a populist agenda and nationalized major industries and the banking system. In 1973, he promulgated a new Constitution accepted by most political elements and relinquished the presidency to become prime minister. Although Bhutto continued his populist and socialist rhetoric, he increasingly relied on Pakistan's urban industrialists and rural landlords. Over time the economy stagnated, largely as a result of the dislocation and uncertainty produced by Bhutto's frequently changing economic policies. When Bhutto proclaimed his own victory in the March 1977 national elections, the opposition Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) denounced the results as fraudulent and demanded new elections. Bhutto resisted and later arrested the PNA leadership.
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months.
Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979.
Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law).
In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures.
====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government.
The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order.
In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly.
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society.
However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993.
An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration.
In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as President in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base.
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997.
The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.
====Pervez Musharraf====
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in.
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf pledged complete cooperation with the United States in the war on terror, which included locating and shutting down terrorist training camps within Pakistan's borders, cracking down on extremist groups and withdrawing support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained.
On October 8, 2005 a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.
====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.
==Further reading==
==Further reading==