Battle
of Plassey and British victory over Mughal forces in Bangal;
conventional date for beginning of British rule in Sub-continent (India
and Pakistan)
1830
British
institute education and other reform measures
1843
British
annex Sindh, Hyderabad and Khairpur
1845-49
Sikh
wars; British annex Punjab; Kashmir sold to Dogra Dynasty, to be ruled
under British paramountcy
1857-58
First
war of independence also known as Indian Mutiny (Sepoy rebellion)
1858
East
India Company dissolved; rule of Sub-continent under British Crown (the
British Raj) begins, marks formal end of Mughal Empire
1885
Indian
National Congress formed as a united front for independence
1905
Partition
of Bengal
1906
All
India Muslim League founded predominantly representing the Muslim
majority areas
1909
Morley-Minto
Reforms establish separate electorates for Muslims. Considered as a
major victories for Muslim League
1910
Partition
of Bengal annulled
1916
Congress-Muslim
League Pact (often referred to as the Lucknow Pact) signed
1935
Government
of India Act of 1935. Still considered as a backbone of civil law in
both India and Pakistan
1940
Muslim
League adopts "Pakistan Resolution" demanding a separate state
for Muslims of sub-continent. "Two Nation Theory" articulated
by Muslim League leader Mohammed Ali Jinnah (popularly known as Quaid-e-Azam
meaning the great leader) and others
1946
Aug
Muslim
League observes "Direct Action Day" widespread communal
rioting spreads to many parts of sub-continent
1947
Jun
Legislation
introduced in British parliament calling for independence and partition
of sub-continent; communal rioting and mass movements of population
begin, resulting in 250,000 deaths and upto 24 million refugees
Post Independence
1947
Aug
Partition
of sub-continent; India incorporates West Bengal and Assam; Pakistan
incorporates East Bengal (West Pakistan); Mohammed Ali Jinnah becomes
the first governor general of Pakistan; Liaquat Ali Khan becomes first
Prime Minister (PM)
1947
Oct
Start
of first Indo-Pak war over Kashmir
1948
Sep
Jinnah
dies; Khawaja Nazimuddin becomes Governor General
1949
Jan
United
Nationsarrange cease fire
between India and Pakistan
1951
Oct
Liaquat
Ali Khan assassinated; Nazimuddin becomes PM, Ghulam Mohammed becomes
Governor General
1955
Aug
Ghulam
Mohammed resigns; succeeded by Iskander Mirza
1955
Oct
One
unit plan establishes the four provinces of West Pakistan as an
administrative unit
1956
Mar
Constitution
adopted; Mirza becomes President
1958
Oct
Mirza
abrogates constitution and declares martial law; Mirza sent into exile;
Chief Marshal Law Administrator (CMLA) General Mohammed Ayub Khan
assumes Presidency
1965
Aug
Start
of second Indo-Pak war over Kashmir
1969
Mar
Martial
Law declared; Ayub Khan resigns; CMLA General Agha Mohammed Yahya Khan
assumes Presidency
1970
Jul
One
unit plan abolished; four provinces re-establish in West Pakistan
1970
Dec
first
General elections; Awami League under Mujib ur Rehman and Pakistan
People Party under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto emerges as leading parties in
East and West Pakistan respectively
1971
Mar
East
Pakistan attempts to secede, beginning civil war, Mujib imprisoned in
West Pakistan
1971
Dec
India
invades east Pakistan; India recognizes Bangladesh; Yahya Khan resigns;
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto becomes CMLA and President
1972
Jul
Bhutto
and India's PM Indra Gandhi conclude Simla Agreement adjusting 1949
cease fire line popularly known as Line of Control (LOC)
1973
Aug
New
Constitution goes into effect; Bhutto becomes PM
1976
Feb
Pakistan
and Bangladesh establish diplomatic relations
1977
Mar
General
elections; Bhutto's Peoples Party blamed for rigging; evokes widespread
rioting and protest
1977
Jul
Army
Chief of Staff General Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq proclaims martial law and
becomes CMLA
1978
Sep
Mohammed
Zia-ul-Haq becomes nations sixth president replacing Fazal EllahiChaudry
1979
Feb
Islamic
penal code introduced
1979
Apr
Zulfiqar
Ali Bhutto hanged as a result of a Supreme court ruling in the murder
case of Mohammed Qussory
1983
Aug
President
Zia-ul-Haq announces that martial law will be lifted in 1985
1985
Jan
Non-Islamic
banking abolished
1985
Feb
General
elections held for National Assembly
1985
Mar
Mohammed
Khan Junejo invited by General Zia to form civilian cabinet
1985
Jul
Economy
declared to be in conformity with Islam
1986
Dec
New
federal cabinet sworn into office; Mohammed Khan Junejo becomes PM
1987
May
President
Zia dismisses Junejo government, dissolves national and provincial
assemblies, and orders new election in 90 days
1987
Aug
Zia,
US ambassador to Pakistan, and top army officials killed in an airplane
crash near Bhawalpur in Punjab; Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Chairman of Senate,
sworn as acting President
1987
Nov
Elections
held for National Assembly
1987
Dec
Benazir
Bhutto, leader of Pakistan Peoples Party, emerge as the leader of the
house and sworn in as the first female Prime Minister of Muslim nation
1988 Aug
Gen.
Zia dies in a plane accident. Benazir Bhutto 37, is elected as prime
minister in december .
1990 Aug
Benazir
Bhutto is dismissed by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan for alleged
corruption. Nawaz Sharif succeeds as the new prime minister
1993 July
Sharif
resigns along with President Ishaq Khan under an army-brokerage
agreement to end the bitter power tussle between the 2 top
functionaries. After election Benazir Bhutto becomes the Prime Minister
again.
1996 Nov
Benazir
Bhutto is dismissed by President Farooq Ahmed Laghari on misrule and
corruption charges.
1997 Feb
The
Pakistan Muslim League wins a sweeping election victory. Nawaz Sharif is
appointed as prime minister and sets up an anti-corruption unit.
1998 May
Relations
with India deteriorate as the crisis in Kashmir deepens and Pakistan
responds to India's first nuclear test by carrying out its own explosion
in May
1999 April
Bhutto
and her husband are sentenced to 5 years in prison and fined $8.6
Million for alleged laundering.
1999 October
Nawaz
Sharif is ousted from power and placed under house arrest after
attempting to sack his army General Pervez Musharraf
