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Ayub Khan

Staatspräsident von Pakistan in München
Staatspräsident von Pakistan in München Image: Wikimedia Commons. Steiner, Egon / CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan (14 May 1907 – 19 April 1974) was a Pakistani military officer and politician who served as the second President of Pakistan from 1958 until his resignation in 1969. He was the first native Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, holding that office from 1951 to 1958, and remains the country's longest-serving president.

Key facts

Full name Mohammad Ayub Khan
Born 14 May 1907, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Died 19 April 1974
Education Aligarh Muslim University; Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Military rank Field Marshal
Honours NPk, HJ, HPk, MBE
Office 2nd President of Pakistan (1958–1969)
Commander-in-Chief, Pakistan Army 1951–1958
Political party Convention Muslim League
Successor as President General Yahya Khan

Background and early career

Born in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ayub Khan studied at Aligarh Muslim University before training at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. During the Second World War he served on the British side, fighting against the Imperial Japanese Army. Following the Partition of British India in August 1947, he joined the Pakistan Army and was posted to East Bengal.

Rise to power

In 1951, Ayub Khan succeeded General Sir Douglas Gracey to become the first native Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army. Between 1953 and 1958, he also held civilian portfolios, serving as Defence and Home Minister. He supported President Iskander Mirza's imposition of martial law against Prime Minister Feroz Khan Noon's administration on 7 October 1958. Three weeks later, Ayub Khan deposed Mirza in a military coup — the first in Pakistan's history — and assumed the presidency.

Presidency (1958–1969)

As President, Ayub Khan appointed General Musa Khan as Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, a post Musa held for eight years.

Foreign policy

  • Aligned Pakistan closely with the United States, granting American access to air bases in Pakistan, including the facility outside Peshawar from which reconnaissance missions over the Soviet Union were launched.
  • Strengthened relations with neighbouring China.
  • The pro-US tilt led to a deterioration of relations with the Soviet Union by 1962.
  • Launched Operation Gibraltar against India in 1965, triggering a full-scale war that ended in a stalemate. Peace was subsequently restored through the Tashkent Declaration.

Economy and development

Domestically, Ayub Khan followed a laissez-faire approach in line with Western-aligned nations of the period. He privatised state-owned industries and liberalised the economy. Substantial inflows of foreign aid and investment helped make Pakistan the fastest-growing economy in South Asia during his rule. His tenure saw the completion of hydroelectric stations, dams, and reservoirs, and is often referred to as the "Decade of Development."

Pakistan's space programme was established under his government, and the country launched its first uncrewed space mission by 1962. However, the failure of land reforms and a weak taxation system meant that much of this growth was concentrated among the elite.

1965 election

In 1965, Ayub Khan contested the presidential election as the candidate of the Convention Muslim League, defeating the opposition candidate Fatima Jinnah, and was re-elected for a second term.

Decline and resignation

From 1967 onwards, opposition to price hikes on food and other items fuelled demonstrations across the country, with protests led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Following further unrest, particularly in East Pakistan, Ayub Khan resigned on 25 March 1969 and handed power to General Yahya Khan.

Death

After a brief illness, Ayub Khan died on 19 April 1974.

Legacy

Ayub Khan's legacy remains mixed. He is credited with a period of economic prosperity and industrialisation. Critics, however, denounce him for initiating the involvement of intelligence agencies in national politics, for the concentration of wealth in a small elite, and for geographically discriminatory policies that contributed to the grievances later culminating in the Bangladesh Liberation War. He remains the longest-serving president and the second-longest serving head of state in Pakistan's history.

References