Gen Zia Promised Elections In 90 Days | Fakir Syed Aijazuddin

In the 5th episode of our Pakistan History podcast series, Mr. Ijazuddin takes us back to the most critical turning point in Pakistan's history - 1977 to 1979. From the PNA movement and the last-minute sabotage of the agreement between Bhutto and PNA, to General Zia-ul-Haq's promise of elections in 90 days that stretched into 11 years, he shares his first-hand recollections and analysis. He discusses why Zia's martial law was deeper and more durable than 1958 and 1969, his famous take - "Whatever he said, he didn't do and whatever he did, he never said", the role of the Afghan War in making a pariah into the "chosen one", the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the non-party elections of 1985, 8th Amendment, rise of Nawaz Sharif, return of Benazir Bhutto in 1986, and the parallel between Zia-ul-Haq and Oliver Cromwell - both ruled for 11 years. He also shares his personal journey - why as Director Finance of National Fertilizer Corporation he left Pakistan for ADNOC in Abu Dhabi in 1979, his meeting with PM Indira Gandhi at Lok Sabha in 1981, Rajiv Gandhi, and why Pakistan's economic policy under Zia was just "survival".