32 Facts About Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was a Pakistani military general who was the sixth president of Pakistan from 1978 until his airplane crash death in 1988.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq remains the country's longest-serving head of state and Chief of Army Staff.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was a tank commander in the Second Kashmir War of 1965 against the Indian Army.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq presided over the Islamization of Pakistan, escalated Pakistan's atomic bomb project, and instituted industrialization and deregulation, significantly improving Pakistan's economy.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq bolstered ties with China and the United States and emphasized Pakistan's role in the Islamic world.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq dismissed Junejo's government on charges of economic stagflation and announced general elections in November 1988.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was buried at the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq is praised by Islamists for his desecularization efforts and opposition to Western culture.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was born on 12 August 1924 in Jullundar, Punjab Province, British India.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's father, Muhammad Akbar Ali, was an employee in the Army General Headquarters in Delhi.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was admitted to the Indian Military Academy at Dehradun, graduating in May 1945 among the last group of officers to be commissioned before the independence of India.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq then went on to plan the Jordanian offensive against the Palestinians and commanded an armoured division against them.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was then promoted as Lieutenant General and was appointed commander of the II Strike Corps at Multan in 1975.

But, the Chief of Air Staff General Zulfikar Ali Khan remains unsupported while the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq Shariff remains neutral, while he silently expressed his support to Prime minister Zulfikar Bhutto.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq stated that the Constitution of Pakistan had not been abrogated, but temporarily suspended.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq managed to get several amendments passed, most notably the Eighth Amendment, which granted "reserve powers" to the president to dissolve the Parliament.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq became the first engineering officer to have acknowledge Zia about the success of this energy project into a fully matured program.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq virtually had PAEC and KRL separated from each other and made critical administrative decisions rather than putting scientists in charge of the aspects of the atomic programs.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's actions spurred innovation in the atomic bomb project and an intense secrecy and security culture permeated PAEC and KRL.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq escalated Pakistan's atomic bomb project, and instituted industrialization and deregulation, helping Pakistan's economy become the fastest-growing in South Asia, overseeing the highest GDP growth in the country's history.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's era led to serious disturbances in Karachi and ultimately Karachi went into the secular control of MQM from the clutches of Sunnis Jamaat-e-Islami.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq said that he would hold elections within the next 90 days.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq claimed later that reports of Israeli and Indian involvement in Zia's plane crash were only speculations.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq is a martyr, and was a great man.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's funeral was held on 19 August 1988 near Islamabad.

Out of the country's short history, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's legacy remains a most toxic, enduring, and tamper-proof legacy, according to the editorial written in Dawn.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was unique and multidimensional like all complex characters of South Asian history.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq successfully took on nuclear India and changed the balance of power that Indira Gandhi created in the 1971 war and broke all rules to acquire nuclear weapons for Pakistan.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq's reign helped the conservatives to rise at the national politics against Benazir Bhutto.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq is noted as being one of Pakistan's most successful generals, placing the armed forces in charge of the country's affairs.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq is cited for promoting the early political career of Nawaz Sharif, who would be thrice elected Prime Minister.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was very dedicated in preventing the Soviet invasion of Pakistan.