July 5, 1977
Gen Zia removes Bhutto in a bloodless coup, suspending the constitution and declaring martial law. He announces elections will be held in 90 days. But simultaneously begins a censorship regime. Political activists and journalists are arrested and flogged in public
May 13, 1978
Eleven journalists are sentenced by military courts. Four journalists — Masudullah Khan, Iqbal Jafri, Khawar Naeem Hashmi and Nasir Zaidi — are also flogged
December 2, 1978
Shariat benches constituted at the high court levels while an appellate Shariat bench constituted at the Supreme Court level. Shariat benches could revisit any law deemed to be un-Islamic. Prayers to be offered in congregation at all government offices during working hours. All offices and shops to remain shut at the time of Friday prayers
April 4, 1979
ZAB is hanged in Rawalpindi jail despite a split verdict and international appeals
October 15, 1979
Gen Zia clamps down further on press freedoms. Two days later, the Daily Musawat and Daily Sadaqat are both banned
December 24, 1979
Soviet Union invades Afghanistan. Gen Zia drags Pakistan into the jihad sponsored by the Americans and Saudis
May 26, 1980
Establishment of Federal Shariat Court is announced
December 19, 1984
Zia holds referendum on ‘Islamisation’ which will give him five more years at the helm. His government claims that more than 95 percent of votes cast were in support of Zia
February 25, 1985
National polls are held on non-party-basis
March 2, 1985
Articles 62 & 63 of the Constitution amended to make parliamentarians’ qualifications subject to ‘Islamic’ morality
November 9, 1985
Eight Amendment to the Constitution comes into force, giving Zia the power to dissolve the parliament under Article 58-2(B)
September 17, 1977
ZAB is arrested for “conspiracy to murder”
October 1, 1977
Elections postponed indefinitely
January 1, 1978
Gen Zia declares 1978 as Year of ‘Islamisation’. Education committee constituted to review syllabi and revise them to include an ‘Islamic bias’
September 16, 1978
Gen Zia assumes office of president; retains the office of army chief
February 10, 1979
Islamic penal laws enforcing ‘Hadd’ are promulgated in pursuance of ‘Nizam-i-Islam’. These include the Prohibition Order and the Zina Ordinance as well as separate laws for amputation for theft and punishment by whipping
March 18, 1982
Changes introduced to the Pakistan Penal Code; Section 295-B now stipulates a life term for defiling, damaging or desecrating a copy of the Holy Quran
February 9, 1984
Government bans all students’ unions
April 27, 1984
Ban imposed on use of Islamic nomenclature by Ahmadis
March 23, 1985
Martial law is lifted and Muhammad Khan Junejo is sworn in as Prime Minister
October 5, 1986
The use of derogatory remarks for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is criminalised. The offence is made punishable by death or life imprisonment
May 29, 1988
Zia dissolves parliament and dismisses Junejo’s government. He promises elections in the next 90 days
June 15, 1988
Zia promulgates the Shariat Ordinance, making Sharia supreme law of the land
August 17, 1988
Gen Ziaul Haq is killed, along with 31 others, in a plane crash near Bahawalpur
Published in Dawn, EOS, July 2nd, 2017
