Quick History of Pakistan

3000 - 1500 BC

Indus Civilization.

1700 BC

Aryans invade from Central Asia.

516 BC

Northern Pakistan becomes the easternmost province of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia.

327 - 325 BC

Alexander the Great invades Pakistan.

272 - 236 BC

Mauryan Emperor Ashoka promotes Buddhism.

185 BC

Bactrian Greeks conquer northwest Pakistan.

75 BC

Arrival of Scythians (Sakas) from Central Asia.

20 AD

Parthians conquer northern Pakistan.

60 AD

Kushans from Central Asia overthrow the Parthians.

3rd Century

Kushans decline and are dominated by the Sassanian Empire of Persia

4th Century

Kidar (Little) Kushans come to power.

445

White Huns invade Gandhara and are converted to Hinduism, possibly as the Rajput warrior caste.

565

Sassanians and Turks overthrow Huns.

Late 6th - 7th Century

Turki Shahis control area west of Indus, including Gandhara.

711

Mohammad Bin Qasim conquers Sindh and southern Punjab

870

Hindu Shahis arrive from Central Asia

1001 - 26

Mahmud of Ghaznavi invades.
Mass conversions to Islam.

1034 -1337

Sindh ruled by Sumrahs, a Sindhi tribe

1150

Mohammad Ghuri destroys the Kingdome of Mahmud Ghaznavi.

1194

Mohammad Ghuri makes Delhi the capital of the empire

1206 - 1526 Delhi Sultanate

Delhi Sultanate established by Ilbari Dynasty
At the time of Muhammd Ghuri's death in 1206 (had no sons), Qutbuddin Aibak was in Lahore, where he assumed the sovereign powers as he was elected Sultan by the Amirs. The assumption of sovereign powers by Qutbuddin Aibak in 1206 is regarded as the foundation of the Sultanate Delhi.

1221

The Mongol, Genghiz Khan invades Punjab

1290-1320 Khalji Dynasty

Marks the end of the Turks rule.
Among the Khaljis, Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316) reign is known for revenue reforms, market regulations and conquests.

1320-1412 Tuqhluq Dynasty

Tuqhluq were from 'Qarauna Turk' tribe.
Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughluq Shah (Ghazi Malik) founder of third dynasty of the Sultanate.
Among the Tughluq dynastry, Mohammad Tughluq and Firuz Tughluq are most popular.

1337

Sammah Rajputs overthrow the Sumrahs in Sindh

1398-9

Tamerlane invades from Central Asia

1414-51 The Saiyids

Khizr Khan was the founder of the Saiyid dynasty.
Alauddin Alam Shah was the last ruler.

1451-1526 The Lodhis

Lodhis were Afghans
Bahlol Lodhi was the founder of this dynasty.
The last Lodhi Sultan, Ibrahim Ladhi (1517-26) was killed by Babur in the first battle of Panipat.

1526

The Sultanate of Delhi ended.
Babur defeats the Lodis, the last of the Delhi sultans, and establishes the Mughal Empire.
Tarkhans capture power in Sindh.

1524

Babur, first Mughal emperor, rais Punjab
Sindh conquered by Shah Beg Arghun from Kandahar.
Amir Chakar Rind unites Balochi tribes and defeats Sammahs.

1527 - 1857 The Mughal Empire

Zahiruddin Mohammad Babur son of Umar Shaikh Mirza -- The first Mughal Emeror (1526-30) and founder of  the Mughal empire in India.
March 16 -- A decisive battle took place with Rana Songa of Mewar, a powerful Rajput prince.
Babur's autobiography Tuzuk-i-Bauri (Babur Namah) written in Turki.

1530

December 26 -- Babur died in Agra.
Humyun become the Mughal emperor.
Humayun reign 1530, 40, 1555-6.

1540

Suri Dynasty (1540-55)
Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the battles of Chausa and Kanauj and became the emperor.
Humayun is forced into exile in Persia by Sher Shah Suri.

1545

Death of Sher Shah Suri.

1555

Humayun regains empire.

1556

Akbar, son of Humayun, is emperor (1556-1605)
Humayun died after falling from his library (Sher Mandil) stairs.
Thirteen years old Humayun's son Akbar becomes the emperor.
Akbar is famous for his liberal policies especially towards non-Muslims.
Akbar contributed greatly in Indian music. Tansen was the most accomplished musician of that days.

1527

Jahangir is emperor (1605-27)
After Akbar, his son Salim becomes emperor. Salim took the title of Jehagir (Conqueror of the world).
Jehangir's reign consider be the peak of Mughal rule (and his son's reign).

1528

Sha Jahan is emperor (1627-59)
After Jehangir, his son Khurram becomes the empror of Mughal emperor. Khurram took the title of Shah Jehan (Emperor of the World)
The Mughal Empire was at its zenith during Shah Jehan's rule.

1583

Queen Elizabeth I dispatched the ship Tyger to the sub-continent to exploit opportunities for trade.

1614

The British East India Company opens its first office in Bombay.

1658

Aurangzeb Alamgir is emperor (1658-1707).
Sikhs organize as a warrior sect.

1707

Aurangzeb Alamgir died.
His death regards as the beginning of the end of Mughal empires.
Aurangzeb Alamgir's son bahadur Shah Zafar becomes the last emperor of Mughal dynastry.

1736

Founding of Kalhora Dynasty in Sindh

1739

Nadir Shah of Persia invades the subcontinent.

1747-73

Ahmad Shah Durrani founds the Kingdom of Afghanistan and acquires Indus territories, Punjab and Kashmir.

1757

The battle of Plassey is considered a major breakthrough for the Britishers in the Subcontinent.

1707 - 1762

Shah wali Ullah's Reform Movement.

1760-1830

Sikhs become dominate force in Pubjab.

1789

Talpur Balochis overthrow Kalhora Dynazty in Sindh

1799-1839

Ranjit Singh rules Punjab from Lahore.

1830

Faraizi Movement (1830-57)

1843

British annex Sindh.
First British-Afghan War

1845-6

First British-Sikh War

1848-9

The British defeat the Sikhs in Second Sikh War, annex Punjab and NWFP

1857

First War of Independence (Mutiny)

1858

British government assumes direct rule of British East India Company lands, establishes British Raj
Aligarh Movement (1858-98)

1866

Deoband Movement (1866-1947)

1884

Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam, Lahore (1884-1947)

1885

Establishment of Indian National Congress

1887

All districts of Balochistan in British hands

1889

British establish Gilgit Agency

1891

British conquer Hunza and Nagar

1894

Nadva-tul-'Ulama of Lucknow (1894-1947)

1906

December 30 -- The annual meeting of Mohammadan Educational Conference held at Dacca under the chairmanship of Nawab Viqar ul Mulk. In the meeting Nawab Salim ullah Khan presented a proposal to establish a political party, All India Muslim League, to safeguard the interests of the Muslims.
All India Muslim League founded as forum for Indian Muslim separatism

1916

The Lucknow Pact

1919

The Khilafat Movement (1919-1924)

1930

Mohammad Iqbal proposes creation of separate Muslim state

1940

Lahore Resolution, which endorses idea of separate nation for India's Muslims, to be called Pakistan.

1947

June 3 -- the British Government accepted the idea of partition of India.
July 18 -- The British Parliament passes the Indian Independence Act.
July 19 -- Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan (1895-1951) of Muslim League becomes the first Prime Minister.
 August 14 -- Birth of Pakistan, consisting of East Bengal, a part of Assam (Sylhet), West Punjab, Sind, NWFP and Baluchistan.
Some 15 million people flee religious persecution, Muslim fleeing to East and West Pakistan, while Hindus flee to India. An estimated one million people are killed in widespread communal violence and millions are made homeless.
Under Section 8 of the Indian Independence Act, 1947, the Government of India Act, 1935 (with certain adaptations) becomes constitution of Pakistan.
August 15 -- Quid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah (1876-1948) of Muslim League becomes first governor-general  and Liaquat Ali Khan (1895-1951) of Muslim League becomes the first Prime Minister of the new nation.

1948

September 11 --  Quid-e-Azam  Dies and Kashmir Crisis Starts.
September 14 --  Cheif Minister of Bengal Khwaja Nazimuddin (1894-1964) of Muslim League becomes second governor-general.
The first war with India over Kashmir

1949

March 12 -- Objectives Resolution passes moved by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.

1951

October 16 --  Liaquat Ali Khan assassinated in Rawalpindi.
October 17 -- Finance Minister Ghulam Mohammad (1895-1956) of Muslim League becomes the third Governor General.
Governor General Khawaja Nazimuddin of Muslim League becomes second Prime Minister.

1952

December 22 -- The second draft of the Basic Principle Committee presents to the Constituent Assembly.

1953

April 17 -- Malik Ghulam Mohammad dismisses the Khawaja Nazimuddin.
(Important note: This is this act of Ghulam Mohammad that sets an unhealthy tradition and precedent in Pakistan of Presidents removing ELECTED governments. This tradition is later carried on by various Presidents creating a continuous instability in the Pakistan.)
April 17 -- A not well-known leader of East Pakistan Mohammad Ali Bogra (1909-1963 ) of Muslim League, who was then Pakistani Ambassador to United State, becomes third Prime Minister.

1954

May 1954 -- Governor General Ghulam Mohammad appointed Iskander Mirza (1899-1969) as Governor of East Pakistan. In order to established the peace in East Pakistan, the first step he took as Governor was to order the arrest of 319 persons, including Mujib al Rahman and Yusuf Ali Choudhury. By mid June, the number of persons arrested had reached 1051, including 33 assembly members and two Dhaka University Professors. So, in a way Iskander Mirza had sown a permanent seed of hatred for the Central government in the heats of East Pakistani people.
October 24 -- Malik Ghulam Mohammad dissolved the Constituent Assembly of Mohammad Ali Bogra and declares a state of emergency.
Pakistan signed an agreement with the U.S. saying that US will come to Pakistan's aid in a time of war.

1955

August 11 -- Bogra resigns and  Chaudhary Mohammad Ali (1905-1963) of Muslim League becomes appointed forth Prime Minister.
October 6 -- Governor-General Ghulam Mohammad resigns.
October 6 -- Iskander Mirza (1899-1969) of Military becomes the fourth and last Governor General.

1956

March 23 -- Constitution take on and proclaims Pakistan an Islamic republic. The Constitution consisted of 234 articles, which divided into 13 parts and 6 schedules. The National Assembly (the only house of the parliament) was consists of 300 members. The 300 hundred National Assembly seats were equally divided between West Pakistan and East Pakistan (note that the concept of one unit was there in constitution.).
March 23 -- Iskander Mirza of Republican Party becomes first president.
September 12 -- Chaudhry Mohammad Ali resigns and after the adoption of the constitution, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy (1893-1963)  of Awami League becomes the fifth Prime Minister.

1957

October 17  -- Suhrawardy resigns, due to President's refusal to convene a meeting of the parliament to seek a vote of confidence.
October 17 -- The Law Minister in the Federal Cabinet Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar (1897-1960) of Muslim League becomes sixth Prime Minister.
December 11 -- I. I. Chundrigar was Forced to resign since he failed to maintain the support of his coalition partners and thus becomes the only Prime Minister of Pakistan for less than two months.
December 16 -- Malik Feroze Khan Noon (1893-1970) of Republican Party takes over the office of Prime Minister and becomes the seventh prime minister. 

1958

October 7 -- President Iskander Mirza abrogates Constitution and with the help of Gen. Ayub Khan, the Chief Martial Law Administrator, enforces the first martial law as a response to rebellions in East Pakistan.
Military coup -- Chief of the army staff takes over and declares martial law.
October 24 -- Gen. Mohammad Ayub Khan (1907-1974) of Military becomes eighth Prime Minister and resign from the office of chief martial law administrator.
October 27 -- Iskander Mirza's Presidency ends and sent into exile.
October 27 --  Gen. (Mohammad Ayub Khan)  of Military assumes presidency and becomes second president.
October 28 -- Ayub Khan resigns from prime ministership.

1962

Constitution Adopted (second time).
Gen. Mohammad Ayub Khan of Military becomes president.

1965

August -- Second war between India and Pakistan over Kashmir

1966

January 10 -- Gen Ayub Khan and Indian prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri signed the cease-fire agreement in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, USSR.
The cease-fire agreement led to the resigning of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Ayub Khan's talented Minister of Foreign Affairs.

1969

March 25 -- Ayub Khan handed his place over to Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan (1907-1980), who promised return to civilian rule. He is the first chief martial law administrator (March 25, 1969 through March 31, 1969).
Martial law declared by military chief Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan.
March 25 -- Gen. Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan of Military takes over and becomes the third president.
March 27 -- Gen Ayub Khan resigns from office of Prime Minister.

1970

First general elections.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League acquires absolute majority in new National Assembly.
West Pakistan-dominated government headed by military chief Yahya Khan Declines to assemble assembly.

1971

East Pakistan attempts to break away.
Civil war begins in East Pakistan.
East Pakistan declares itself independent nation and becomes Bangladesh.
India intervenes on behalf of Bengali separatists.
Pakistani military surrenders to Indian armed forces.
December 7 -- Nurul Amin (1893-1974) of Pakistan People's Party becomes ninth prime minister.
December 20 -- Nurul Amin resigns.
December 20 -- President (military chief) Yahya Khan resigns.
December 20 -- Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (1928-1979) of Pakistan Peoples Party becomes fourth president of Pakistan.

1972

President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto  and India's Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sign Simla agreement that adjusts cease-fire line between Pakistan and India and creates new Line of Control.

1973

New constitution goes into effect (Third time).
August 13 -- Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto   resigns from presidency.
August 14 -- Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan People's Party becomes tenth prime minister.
August 14 -- Fazal Elahi Chaudhry (1904-1982) of Pakistan People's Party becomes fifth President.

1974

May - India tests its first nuclear device at nation's nuclear testing grounds near Pokhran in southeastern India. 
Prime Minister Z. A. Bhutto's government begins nuclear program.

1976

Diplomatic ties established between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

1977

Riots erupt over allegations of rigging of general election by Pakistan Peoples Party.
Gen. Mohammad Zia ul-Haq  (1924-1988) of Military declares martial law.
July 5 -- Gen. Zia ul-Haq of Military becomes eleventh prime minister.

1978

September 16 -- President Fazal Elahi Chaudhry resigns
September 16 -- Gen.  Zia ul-Haq of Military becomes sixth president.

1979

Islamic penal code introduced.
Gen. and president Zia ul-Haq of Military hangs First elected Prime Minister of Pakistan Z. A. Bhutto.

1980

         United State pledges military assistance following Soviet Union intervention in Afghanistan.

1983

Gen. and president Zia announces that he will lift the martial law but military will retain the key role in future governments.

1985

Martial law and ban on political parties lifted.
General elections held under military rule.
Controversial eighth Amendment is passes.
March 24 -- Military chief Zia-ul Haq resigns from prime ministership and Mohammad Khan Junejo (1932-1993) of Pakistan Muslim League become twelfth prime minister.
Gen.  Zia ul-Haq of Military President.
 

1986

         Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's daughter Benazir Bhotto (born: 1953) returns from exile to lead PPP in campaign for elections.

1988

May 29 -- Military chief (president) Zia dismisses Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo's government.
June 9 -- Gen. and president Zia becomes thirteenth prime minister.
Military chief , president and prime minister  Zia orders new elections.
August 17 -- Military chief ,president and prime minister Zia, the US ambassador and top Pakistan army officials die in mysterious plane crash.
August 17 -- Ghulam Ishaq Khan (born: 1915) becomes seventh President. (Acting president to Dec. 12, 1988.)
Benazir Bhotto's Pakistan People's Party wins November general election.
Benazir Bhutto, the eldest child of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto  sworn in as first woman Prime Minister of a Muslim nation. She becomes fourteenth prime minister.
December 14 -- Ghulam Ishaq Khan Khan becomes seventh President.

 

1989

May -- India test fires its Agni missile, ballistic missile that can be able to deliver a nuclear warhead to any target in Pakistan or southern China.

1990

August 6 -- Benazir Bhutto's government dismissed on charges of incompetence and corruption.
August 6 -- Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi (born: 1931) of National People's Party becomes fifteenth Prime Minister (caretaker).
In National election, Benazir Bhutto's PPP lost to coalition of rightist parties.
November 6 -- Jotoi resigns and Mian Nawaz Sharif (born: 1949) of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz group) becomes sixteenth prime minister.

1991

Islamic Shariah law formally incorporated into legal code.

1992

Nawaz Sharif's government launches campaign to stamp out violence by supporter of Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM).

1993

April 19 -- President Ishaq Khan dissolves the National and Provincial Assemblies.
April 18 -- Ishaq Khan selects Mir Balakh Sher Mazari of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz group) as the seventeenth Prime Minister (caretaker).
May 26 -- Mazari’s tenure as a caretaker Prime Minister ended in May, when the Supreme Court of Pakistan invalidates the presidential order on May 26 and reinstated Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister. Nawaz Sharif becomes eighteenth prime minister.
July 18 -- the President, Ghulam Ishaq and the Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif both resign under pressure from military, thus dissolving all the Central and provincial Assemblies.
July 18 -- Wasim Sajjad (born: 1941) of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Group) selected as eight President (interim).
July 18 -- Moin Qureshi (born: 1930)selected as nineteenth Prime Minister (caretaker).
On October 6th and 9th General Elections were held.
Octorber 19 -- Benazir Bhutto (born: 1953) wins slim margin and took oath as Prime Minister. She becomes twenth prime minister.
On November 13, Presidential election was held.
Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari (born: 1940) of Pakistan People's Party candidate won by 274 to 168 votes against, the then acting President Wasim Sajjad.
November 14 -- Wasim Sajjad resign and Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari of Pakistan Peoples Party elected as eighth President.

1996

November 5 -- President Farooq Leghari dismisses Benazir Bhutto accuses her government of corruption and nepotism under the Article 58(2) b of the Eighth Amendment.
November 5 -- Miraj Khalid (born: 1916) becomes twenty first prime minister (caretaker).

1997

Queen Elizabeth II visits Pakistan on 50th Anniversary of its Independence. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, right, meets Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at the presidential palace in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Malik Meraj Khalid selected as Caretaker Prime Minister.
On February, National elections held.
February 17 -- Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif becomes twenty second Prime Minister.
February 18 -- Nawaz Sharif  obtained a vote of confidence from the National Assembly on February 18.
Controversial Eighth Amendment is repealed, which empowered the president to dismiss the prime ministers.
Passing Thirteenth Am Amendment and the Ehtesab Act, 1997.
December 2 --Because of constitutional crisis, President Farooq Leghari  resigned on December 2.
December 2 -- Wasim Sajjad of PML-N becomes tenth President (interim) (second time).

1998

January 1 -- Wasim Sajjad resigns and  Mohammad Rafiq Tarar (born: 1929) of PML-N becomes eleventh  President.  
May 28-29 -- Pakistan carried out its nuclear tests in response to Indian detonation of its three nuclear devices and becomes a Nuclear Power.
Nawaz Sharif's government proclaims an emergency on May 28, because of this, all fundamental rights of Pakistani people were suspended and all the foreign currency accounts in Pakistani banks were frozen.
A Ghauri missile (a modified SCVD ballistic missile similar to India's Agni ballistic missile).
Nawaz Sharif introduces the Fifteen Amendment on October 9.
The Fifteen Amendment, which is an effort by Sharif  to acquire more powers, soon brought him into serious confrontation with military. This confrontation led to the resignation of General Jehangir Karamat on October 7.
Mohammad Rafiq Tarar (born: 1929) becomes an eleventh President.

1999

Feburary 20 -- Indian prime Minister Vajayeee visits Pakistan.
In April, Benazir Bhutto and her husband convicted of corruption and given jail sentences.
April 11 -- India test an upgraded version of Agni missile on Wheeler Island in the Bay of Bengal.
The Kargil Offensive.
The Kargil crisis in its aftermath led to tense relationship between Nawaz Sharif and the military. It was this tense relationship, which culminated in the removal of the Nawaz government by successor of General Karamat (Musharraf ).
October 12 --  Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif overthrown in military coup led by military chief Pervez Musharraf (born: 1943), thus Military Comes to Power Again.
Pakistan is suspended from Commonweath due to widely condemned military coup.
October 12 --  military chief Musharraf becomes the Chief Executive of Pakistan.

October 14 -- military chief and chief executive becomes twenty third prime minister.
 

2000

In April, Nawaz Sharif sentenced to life imprisonment on hijacking and terrorism charges.
In December, Nawaz Sharif goes into exile in Saudi Arabia after being pardoned by military authorities.

2001

Agra Summit.
US Military invasion in Afghanistan.
June 20 --  Gen.  Pervez Musharraf (born: 1943) of Military dissolved the parliament as a result the figurehead president, Rafiq Tarar vacated his position. Later in the day Gen Pervez Musharraf names himself president while remaining head of the military. He becomes twelfth the President.
US Military invasion in Afghanistan.
July, Gen Musharraf meets Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Agra summit. Talks fails (not even a joint statement).
September - Pakistan cut its diplomatic relation with the Taliban and becomes a major ally to U.S. campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaida.
US lifts some sanctions imposed after Pakistan's nuclear tests, but retains those imposed after Musharraf's coup.

2002

January - Gen. Musharraf announces that elections will be held on October 2002.
April - Gen. Musharraf of Military wins another five years in office in a referendum criticized as unconstitutional and fraught with irregularities.
May - Pakistani military fires three medium-range surface-to-surface missiles that can carry nuclear warheads.
August - President Musharraf of Military grants himself sweeping new powers, including the right to dismiss an elected parliament. Opposition parties accuse Musharraf of perpetuating dictatorship.
October - General election results in a hung parliament.
November 23 - National Assembly "selects" Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali (born: 1944) of Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam Group), a member of a party close to Gen Musharraf of Military, as a twenty fourth prime minister and Musharraf resigns from prime ministership.