Ayub Khan

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ayub Khan was born on 14 May 1907 in Rehana, a village in the Haripur district of the North-West Frontier Province, into a Hindko-speaking Pashtun family of the Tareen tribe. He studied at Aligarh Muslim University and trained at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, being commissioned as a second lieutenant on 2 February 1928 in the 1/14th Punjab Regiment. He fought in the Second World War on the British side against the Imperial Japanese Army, serving in the Burma Campaign. After the Partition of British India in August 1947, he joined the Pakistan Army and was posted in East Bengal. In 1951, he became the first native commander-in-chief, succeeding General Gracey. From 1953 to 1958, he served in the civilian government as Defence and Home Minister and supported President Iskandar Ali Mirza's decision to impose martial law against prime minister Feroz Khan Noon's administration on 7 October 1958. Three weeks later, Ayub Khan seized the presidency in a military coup, the first in the country's history. As president, Khan appointed General Musa Khan to replace him as Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, who served for 8 years. He aligned Pakistan with the United States, allowing American access to air bases inside Pakistan, most notably the airbase outside of Peshawar, from which spy missions over the Soviet Union were launched. Relations with neighboring China were strengthened, but his alignment with the US worsened relations with the Soviet Union in 1962. He launched Operation Gibraltar against India in 1965, leading to an all-out war that resulted in a stalemate, and peace was restored via the Tashkent Declaration. Domestically, Ayub subscribed to the laissez-faire policy of Western-aligned nations. He privatised state-owned industries and liberalised the economy generally. Large inflows of foreign aid and investment led to the fastest-growing economy in South Asia. His tenure was also distinguished by the completion of hydroelectric stations, dams, and reservoirs. Under Khan, Pakistan's space program was established, and the country launched its first uncrewed space mission by 1962. However, the failure of land reforms and a weak taxation system meant that most of this growth landed in the hands of the elite. In 1965, Khan entered the presidential race as the Convention Muslim League's candidate to counter the opposition candidate Fatima Jinnah. Khan won the elections and was re-elected for a second term. In 1967, disapproval of price hikes of food prompted demonstrations across the country led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Following the protests in East Pakistan, Khan resigned on 25 March 1969 and appointed General Yahya Khan as his successor. Later, fighting a brief illness, he died in 1974.

Reader's Guide

Ayub Khan’s presidency is remembered for rapid economic growth, driven by the privatization of state industries and a liberalized, laissez-faire economic policy that attracted substantial foreign aid and investment, making Pakistan the fastest-growing economy in South Asia at the time. Major infrastructure projects, including hydroelectric stations, dams, and reservoirs, were completed, and the nation’s space program was established, launching its first uncrewed mission. However, these gains were not broadly shared; weak taxation and failed land reforms concentrated wealth among a small elite. His alignment with the United States allowed American access to Pakistani airbases for spy flights over the Soviet Union, while relations with China strengthened. This pro-Western stance worsened ties with the Soviet Union. Militarily, he launched Operation Gibraltar against India in 1965, which escalated into a full war that ended in a stalemate resolved by the Tashkent Declaration. Domestically, he faced growing unrest over food price hikes, leading to nationwide protests by 1967, and his resignation in 1969 followed mass demonstrations. Critics fault him for initiating intelligence agencies’ involvement in politics and for discriminatory policies that contributed to the later Bangladesh Liberation War.

Did You Know?

• Ayub Khan used to ride a mule to school in Sarai Saleh, about 4 miles from his village.
• He was commissioned on the same day as Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri, who later served as Chief of the Army Staff of India from 1962 to 1966.
• He was the first native commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, appointed on 17 January 1951, despite being the most junior major-general in the nomination list.
• Under his presidency, Pakistan launched its first uncrewed space mission by 1962.
• He resigned on 25 March 1969 amid mass protests and strikes, appointing General Yahya Khan as his successor.

From Village to Commander-in-Chief

Ayub Khan was born on 14 May 1907 in Rehana, a village in the Haripur district of the North-West Frontier Province of British India into a Hindko-speaking family of Pashtun descent, belonging to the Tareen tribe. He was the first child of the second wife of Mir Dad Khan, a Risaldar-Major in the 9th Hodson's Horse cavalry regiment. For his basic education, he was enrolled in a school in Sarai Saleh, about 4 miles from his village, and used to go to school on a mule's back. He later shifted to a school in Haripur, where he started living with his grandmother. He studied at Aligarh Muslim University and was accepted into the Royal Military College, Sandhurst on the recommendation of General Andrew Skeen. Commissioned as a second lieutenant on 2 February 1928 in the 1/14th Punjab Regiment, he was promoted to lieutenant on 2 May 1930 and to captain on 2 February 1937. During World War II, he was promoted to temporary lieutenant-colonel in 1942 and posted to Burma for the first phase of the Burma Campaign in 1942–43. He was promoted to permanent major on 2 February 1945, and later that year to temporary colonel, assuming command of his own regiment for the second phase of the Burma Campaign. In 1946, he was posted back to the North-West Frontier Province, and in 1947 promoted to brigadier, commanding a brigade in South Waziristan. After Partition, he opted for Pakistan and was given command of the 14th Infantry Division in Dacca, East Pakistan in early 1948. In 1949, he was decorated with the Hilal-i-Jurat by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan and became Adjutant General. On 17 January 1951, he was appointed the first native commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army by Prime Minister Ali Khan, succeeding General Gracey.

The Coup and the Road to the Presidency

Between 1953 and 1958, Ayub Khan served in the civilian government as Defence and Home Minister. On 24 February 1955, he signed the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) pact for Pakistan. He disdained civilian politicians, writing that he reluctantly joined the cabinet as defence minister with 'two clear objectives: to save the armed forces from the interference of the politicians, and to unify the provinces of West Pakistan into one unit.' When President Iskandar Ali Mirza imposed martial law against prime minister Feroz Khan Noon's administration on 7 October 1958, Khan supported the decision. Three weeks later, Ayub Khan seized the presidency in a military coup, the first in the country's history. As president, he appointed General Musa Khan to replace him as Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army, who served for 8 years. In 1965, Khan entered the presidential race as the Convention Muslim League's candidate to counter the opposition candidate Fatima Jinnah. Khan won the elections and was re-elected for a second term. He resigned on 25 March 1969 amid mass protests and strikes, appointing General Yahya Khan as his successor.

Foreign Alliances and Economic Transformation

As president, Ayub Khan aligned Pakistan with the United States, allowing American access to air bases inside Pakistan, most notably the airbase outside of Peshawar, from which spy missions over the Soviet Union were launched. Relations with neighboring China were strengthened, but his alignment with the US worsened relations with the Soviet Union in 1962. He launched Operation Gibraltar against India in 1965, leading to an all-out war that resulted in a stalemate, and peace was restored via the Tashkent Declaration. Domestically, Ayub subscribed to the laissez-faire policy of Western-aligned nations at the time. He privatised state-owned industries and liberalised the economy generally. Large inflows of foreign aid and investment led to the fastest-growing economy in South Asia. His tenure was also distinguished by the completion of hydroelectric stations, dams, and reservoirs. Under Khan, Pakistan's space program was established, and the country launched its first uncrewed space mission by 1962. However, the failure of land reforms and a weak taxation system meant that most of this growth landed in the hands of the elite.

Downfall and a Divided Legacy

In 1967, disapproval of price hikes of food prompted demonstrations across the country led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Following the protests in East Pakistan, Khan resigned on 25 March 1969 and appointed General Yahya Khan as his successor. Later, fighting a brief illness, he died on 19 April 1974. Ayub Khan remains the country's longest-serving president and second-longest serving head of state. His legacy remains mixed; his era is often referred to as the 'Decade of Development.' Khan is credited with economic prosperity and industrialisation. He is denounced by critics for beginning the first of the intelligence agencies' incursions into national politics, for concentrating wealth in a corrupt few hands, and for geographically discriminatory policies that later led to the Bangladesh Liberation War.