A History of the Pakistan Army: Wars and Insurrections

An in-depth study of the Pakistan Army from an expert with on-the-ground experience.

The army of Pakistan was formed in 1947 when Pakistan and India became independent of Britain. Since then, there have been three periods of army-led military rule in Pakistan, totaling thirty-five years, when democracy was crushed by a string of military dictators. Brian Cloughley knew two of the military dictators and writes of them with first-hand knowledge of their characters. He was personally acquainted with every Chief of Army Staff from 1980 to 2014.

The army is not proud of the part it played in suppression of democracy, and although it acquitted itself honorably in wars against India, it displayed considerable brutality in suppressing separatists in the Eastern Wing of the country in the period before the 1971 war with India that resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. These excesses are described in this book, but there is general confidence that the army is now determined to support democracy and will continue to perform its critical mission of combating internal militancy as well as being prepared to defend the country’s borders.

A History of the Pakistan Army is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the nuanced and ongoing conflicts playing out in this volatile region.