Pre-Independence
1757 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
1911 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 June 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 Nations arrange 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
1988 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
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.
1757 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
1911 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 June 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 Nations arrange 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
1988 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
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.