Zia-ul-Haq assumed the position of sixth president of Pakistan on 16 September 1978 and his presidency ended with his death in an aircraft crash on 17 August 1988. Zia came to power after a coup, overthrowing prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and imposing martial law in 1977.
During his reign, there was significant political and military repression in Pakistan. Among the complaints against the Muhammad Zia ul-Haq administration were its repression of press and journalists, oppression of rape victims imprisoned for zina (extra-marital sex) under its Hudood Ordinances, and its repression of protestors. Zia's government repressed communists and protestors violently during the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy campaign.
Zia-ul-Haq came to power as a result of a coup, overthrowing Pakistan's first popularly elected Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Though the coup itself was bloodless, civilian opposition in parts of the country was substantial. Martial law was declared, senior civilian politicians opposing Zia were imprisoned, and less well known figures in opposition student groups, trade and journalist unions and political parties were "made an example of" with public floggings.
International geopolitics played a significant role in the state of human rights in Pakistan during this time. About two years after the coup, the Soviet Union invaded Pakistan's neighbor Afghanistan, transforming Pakistan and Zia's government into a key Cold War ally of the United States, and giving Zia latitude to ignore internationally accepted human rights norms.
Cabinets 1978: First presidential cabinet In July 1978, first presidential cabinet was sworn-in under the presidency of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
Federal ministers Name Portfolio Period A. K. Brohi Law, Parliamentary Affairs, Religious Affairs, and Minorities Affairs 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Faiz Ali Chishti 1. Establishment, Federal Inspection Commission 2. Kashmir Affairs & Northern Areas 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Fida Mohammad Khan Housing and Works 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Mustafa Gokal Shipping and Ports and Export Promotion 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Habibullah Khan Khattak Industries and Production 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Mahmoud Haroon Interior 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Ghulam Hassan Khan Petroleum & Natural Resources 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Ghulam Ishaq Khan Finance, Planning, and Provincial Coordination 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Jamal Said Mian States and Frontier Regions 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Gul Mohammad Khan Jogezai Water and Power 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Muhammad Junejo Railways 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Mohammad Ali Khan Hoti Education, Culture, and Tourism 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Mohyuddin Ahmedzai Baloch Communications 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Sharifuddin Pirzada Attorney General for Pakistan 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Food and Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Livestock 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Mian Zahid Sarfraz Commerce 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi Labour, Manpower, and Local Government and Rural Development 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978
Ministers of state Name Portfolio Period Hamid D. Habib Export Promotion (Minister of State) 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Javed Hashmi Youth and Students Affairs (Minister of State) 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Mahmud Ali Health, Population and Social Welfare, and National Council of Social Welfare (Minister of State) 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Agha Shahi Foreign Affairs (Minister of State) 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978 Viqar-un-Nisa Noon Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (Minister of State) 5 July 1978 to 23 August 1978
1978–1979: Second presidential cabinet In August 1978, second presidential cabinet was sworn-in under the presidency of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
Federal ministers Name Portfolio Period Zia-ul-Haq Cabinet Division, CMLA's Secretariat, Establishment Division, Federal Inspection Commission, Youth & Students Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Atomic Energy Commission, Industries, Petroleum & Natural Resources, Shipping, Ports & Export Promotion, Re-designated as Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Division 23 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Ali Ahmad Talpur Defence 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 A. K. Brohi Law & Parliamentary Affairs 27 August 1978 to 22 April 1979 Rehmat Elahi Water & Power, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi Labour & Manpower, Re-designated as Ministry of Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Haji Faqir Mohammad Khan States & Frontier Regions, Northern Areas and Kashmir Affairs 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Fida Mohammad Khan Housing & Works 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Abdul Ghafoor Ahmed Production Industries 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Ghulam Ishaq Khan Finance & Planning, Re-designated as Minister for Finance & Coordination 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Iftikhar Ahmad Khan Ansari Religious Affairs & Minorities Affairs 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Food, Agriculture and Cooperative 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Mahmood Azam Farooqui Information & Broadcasting 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Mahmoud Haroon Interior 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Mian Zahid Sarfraz Commerce 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Subuh Sadiq Khan Khoso Health & Production 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Mohammad Arshad Chaudhri Science & Technology 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Ali Khan Hoti Education, Culture and Tourism, Re-designated as Minister for Education 27 August 1978 to 2 May 1979 Mohyuddin Ahmedzai Baloch Communications 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Muhammad Junejo Railways 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Zaman Khan Achakzai Local Government & Rural Development 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Mustafa K. Gokal Shipping, Ports & Export Promotion 27 August 1978 to 23 January 1979 Sharifuddin Pirzada Attorney General for Pakistan 27 August 1978 to 31 May 1979 Khurshid Ahmad - 30 August 1978 to 21 April 1979
Ministers of state Name Portfolio Period Hamid D. Habib Statistics, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Export Promotion Bureau 30 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Javed Hashmi Youth & Students Affairs, Re-designated as Minister of State for Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979 Mahmud Ali National Council of Social Welfare 27 August 1978 to 21 April 1979
1979–1981: Third presidential cabinet In 1979, second presidential cabinet was sworn-in under the presidency of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
Federal ministers Name Portfolio Period Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq Cabinet Division, CMLA's Secretariat, Establishment Division, Federal Inspection Commission, Youth & Students Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Atomic Energy Commission, Industries, Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shipping, Ports & Export Promotion, Culture and Tourism, Health, Social Welfare and Population, Science and Technology, States and Frontier Regions, Railways, Local Government and Rural Development 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Ali Ahmad Talpur Defence 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Faiz Ali Chishti Labour and Manpower, Northern Areas and Kashmir Affairs, Petroleum and Natural Resources 21 April 1979 to 31 March 1980 Ghulam Hassan Khan Production Industries 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Ghulam Ishaq Khan Finance and Economic Affairs, Planning and Development, Statistics, Commerce, Coordination 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Inamul Haque Khan Housing and Works, Water and Power 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Jamal Said Mian Railways, Local Government and Rural Development 21 April 1979 to 31 March 1980 Javed Hashmi Culture and Tourism 21 April 1979 to 30 June 1979 Mahmoud Haroon Interior, Religious Affairs & Minorities Affairs, Political Affairs 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Ali Khan Hoti Education, Culture, Sports and Tourism 2 May 1979 to 9 March 1981 Fazil Janjua Food, Agriculture and Cooperatives 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Mohyuddin Ahmedzai Baloch Communications 21 May 1979 to 9 March 1981 Shahid Hamid Information & Broadcasting, Culture, Sports and Tourism 21 April 1979 to 3 July 1980 (Information & Broadcasting) 3 July 1980 to 9 March 1981 (Culture, Sports and Tourism) Sharifuddin Pirzada Attorney General for Pakistan, Law & Parliamentary Affairs 31 May 1979 to 9 March 1981 Agha Shahi Foreign Affairs 29 May 1980 to 9 March 1981
Ministers of state Name Portfolio Period Hamid D. Habib Export Promotion Bureau (Minister of State) 21 April 1979 to 9 March 1981 Mahmud Ali National Council of Social Welfare (Minister of State) 21 May 1979 to 9 March 1981
1981–1985: fourth presidential cabinet In 1981, a new cabinet took oath under the presidency of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq. Federal ministers Name Portfolio Period Zia-ul-Haq Cabinet Division, Establishment Division, O & M Division, Women's Division, Commerce, Planning & Development Division, Population Division, Statistics Division, Railways, Religious Affairs & Minorities Affairs, Science and Technology, States & Frontier Regions Divisions, Defence, Health, Special Education & Social Welfare, Information & Broadcasting 9 March 1981 to 24 March 1985 Mohyuddin Ahmedzai Baloch Communications 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Arbab Niaz Culture, Sports and Tourism 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Ali Ahmad Talpur Defence 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Ali Khan Hoti Education 9 March 1981 to 5 March 1983 Ghulam Ishaq Khan Finance and Economic Affairs, Commerce, Planning & Development, Water & Power 9 March 1981 to 21 March 1985 Fazil Janjua Food, Agriculture and Cooperatives, Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, Housing & Works 9 March 1981 to 24 March 1985 Agha Shahi Foreign Affairs 9 March 1981 to 9 March 1982 Nasir Ud Din Jogezai Health & Social Welfare, Health, Special Education & Social Welfare (Redesigned on 23 December 1982) 9 March 1981 to 10 March 1984 Inamul Haque Khan Housing & Works 9 March 1981 to 17 February 1983 Elahi Bux Soomro Industries, Housing & Works 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Information & Broadcasting, Religious Affairs & Minorities Affairs 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Mahmoud Haroon Interior 9 March 1981 to 18 November 1984 Ghulam Dastgir Khan Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis, Local Government and Rural Development 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Sharifuddin Pirzada Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs (Redesignated on 17 January 1985) 9 March 1981 to 21 December 1984 Syed Fakhar Imam Local Government and Rural Development 9 March 1981 to 8 December 1983 Rao Farman Ali Petroleum and Natural Resources 9 March 1981 to 10 March 1984 Saeed Qadir Production, National Logistic Board, Railways 9 March 1981 to 24 March 1985 Abbas Abbasi Minister without Portfolio, Religious Affairs & Minorities Affairs 9 March 1981 to 18 March 1984 Jamal Dar Kashmir Affairs and Northern Affairs 9 March 1981 to 25 December 1982 Raja Sikander Zaman Water and Power, Kashmir Affairs & Northern Affairs 9 March 1981 to 26 February 1985 Sahabzada Yaqub Khan Foreign Affairs 21 March 1982 to 24 March 1985 Muhammad Afzal Education, Religious Affairs & Minorities Affairs 5 March 1983 to 24 March 1985 Jamal Said Mian Kashmir Affairs & Northern Affairs, Local Government & Rural Development, Culture & Tourism 5 March 1983 to 24 March 1985 Abdul Ghafoor Hoti Railways 5 March 1983 to 26 February 1985 Mahbub ul Haq Planning & Development, Health, Special Education & Social Welfare, Industries 14 April 1983 to 24 March 1985 Zafarullah Khan Jamali Local Government & Rural Development 17 April 1984 to 26 February 1985 F. S. Lodhi Interior 22 January 1985 to 24 March 1985
Ministers of state