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Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
محمد ضیاءالحق
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq 1982 (cropped).jpg
Rawalpindi
6th President of Pakistan
In office
16 September 1978 – 17 August 1988
Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo
Preceded by Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry
Succeeded by Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Chief of Army Staff
In office
1 March 1976 – 17 August 1988
Preceded by Tikka Khan
Succeeded by Mirza Aslam Beg
Personal details
Born (1924-08-12)12 August 1924
Jalandhar, Punjab, British India
(now in Punjab, India)
Died 17 August 1988(1988-08-17) (aged 64)
Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
Resting place Faisal Mosque
Nationality British Indian (1924–1947) Pakistani (1947–1988)
Political party None
Spouse(s) Begum Shafiq Zia (1950–1988 his death)
Children Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq
Anwar-ul-Haq
Zain Zia
Rubina Saleem
Quratulain Zia
Alma mater St. Stephen's College, Delhi
United States Army Command and General Staff College
Military service
Nickname(s) Mard-i-Momin
Allegiance  British India
 Pakistan
Service/branch  British Indian Army
 Pakistan Army
Years of service 1943–1988
Rank OF-9 Pakistan Army.svgUS-O10 insignia.svg General
Unit 22 Cavalry, Army Armoured Corps (PA – 1810)
Commands 2nd Independent Armoured Brigade
1st Armoured Division
II Strike Corps
Chief of Army Staff
Battles/wars World War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Black September in Jordan
Soviet war in Afghanistan

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (Urdu: محمد ضياء الحق‎; 12 August 1924 – 17 August 1988) was a four-star rank general who served as the 6th President of Pakistan from 1978 until his death in 1988, after declaring martial law in 1977. He was Pakistan's longest-serving head of state.

Educated at Delhi University, Zia saw action in World War II as a British Indian Army officer, before opting for Pakistan in 1947 and fighting in the war against India in 1965. In 1970, he led the Pakistan military's training mission in Jordan, proving instrumental to putting down the Black September insurgency against King Hussein. In recognition, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto approved Zia's four-star appointment and elevated him as the Chief of Army Staff in 1976. Following civil disorder, Zia deposed Bhutto in a military coup and declared martial law on 5 July 1977. Bhutto was controversially tried by the Supreme Court and executed less than two years later, for authorising the murder of a political opponent.


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