The Third Military Regime

Abstract

The military takeover was swift and peaceful. Bhutto, his cabinet colleagues and the leading opposition leaders were arrested and kept in the ‘protective custody’ of the Army until 28 July. Martial law was imposed and the Chief of Army Staff, General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, designated himself as the Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA). Though President Fazal Illahi Chaudhry was allowed to continue as the titular head of state, the executive authority was vested in the CMLA, whose advice and recommendations were binding on the President. The federal and provincial governments were dismissed and national and provincial assembles were dissolved. The 1973 constitution was suspended (described as held in abeyance) and it was provided that the country would be run as closely as possible to the suspended constitution, subject to the overriding powers of the CMLA. The country was divided into five martial law zones,1 each with a Martial Law Administrator, directly responsible to the CMLA. The Chief Justices of the provincial High Courts were appointed acting Governors of the respective provinces as nominal heads of civilian administration. A host of martial law regulations, inherited from the earlier martial law regimes, were reimposed with necessary modifications. Special and summary military courts were established to deal with the cases under martial law regulations and orders and had the power to impose various punishments including the death sentence, life imprisonment, confiscation of property, fines and imprisonment for various terms, and lashing.