Pakistan's Security Under Zia, 1977-88

The rule of General Zia ul-Haq in Pakistan coincided with a series of extraordinary developments in South and Southwest Asia, including the establishment of radical regimes in Iran and Afghanistan, the intervention of Soviet armed forces in Afghanistan, and the intensification of the arms race - nuclear as well as conventional - between Pakistan and its traditional rival, India. This book explores the impact of these developments, which drastically reshaped the regional security environment, on Pakistan's external security policy. Based largely on field visits and interviews with key individuals, this is the first study to focus on Pakistan's security policies during this crucial period. In detailed discussions of the Afghanistan war, the arms race with India, and the boundary dispute over the Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir, Professor Wirsing analyzes Pakistan's security policy decisions and appraises their effectiveness, demonstrating the linkage between them and the country's frail domestic political order. This volume provides insights into the controversies these policies have generated both within Pakistan and abroad.