Pakistan – Military Rule or People’s Power – Tariq Ali
Pakistan – Military Rule or People’s Power
Tariq Ali
William Morrow & Company Inc
1970
Tariq Ali’s thoroughly researched and passionately written study will introduce American readers to Pakistan, most specifically to its turbulent political history since its formation in 1947. Mr. Ali, writing from a revolutionary Marxist point of view, traces that entire history but focuses particularly on the years of (he Ayub Khan dictatorship.
In November 1968, Pakistani students started demonstrating against Ayub Khans regime. The movement spread rapidly and soon embraced the entire country. Three months later, the uprising having shown no sign of abating. President Ayub left the political stage. So Pakistan became the first country in which a student-led movement, supported by workers, succeeded in overthrowing a dictator.
Pakistan was considered by many political observers in the West to be one of the most healthy and stable countries in the “free world.” The country, in fact, was riddled with contradictions and its economy controlled by an oligarchy of twenty families, including Ayub’s. It was this, coupled with political repression, that brought about the popular uprising.
