24th death anniversary of General Zia-ul-Haq Today
Islamabad, Pakistan: Today is the 24th death anniversary of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, the sixth President of Pakistan whose tenure ranged from July 1977 to his death in August 1988.
General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was born on August 12, 1924. He was the fourth Chief martial law administrator and the sixth President of Pakistan from September 1978 to his death in August 1988. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff in 1976 by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after Bhutto forcefully retired seven senior lieutenant-generals who were tainted with their role in the East-Pakistan war in order to bring and promote Zia to four-star rank.
He initially ruled as Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA) in 1977, but later installed himself as the President of Pakistan in September 1978.
Zia died along with several of top generals and admirals of Islamic Republic of Pakistan along with United States Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel in a suspicious air crash near Bahawalpur (Punjab) on 17 August 1988.
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