1958 Pakistani military coup

1958 Pakistani military coup
Part of the Military coups in Pakistan

Muhammad Ayub Khan, the architect of the coup
Date27 October 1958
Location
Result

Coup successful

Belligerents
Pakistan Government of Pakistan Pakistan Army
Commanders and leaders
Iskandar Ali Mirza Muhammad Ayub Khan

The 1958 Pakistani military coup was the first military coup in Pakistan that took place on 27 October 1958. It resulted in the toppling of Iskandar Ali Mirza, the president of Pakistan, by Muhammad Ayub Khan, the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army.

On 7 October, Mirza abrogated the Constitution of Pakistan and declared martial law. There were a number of prime ministers between 1956 and 1958 and it reached a stage when General Ayub Khan felt the army should take control to restore stability. East Pakistan’s politicians wanted more say in the running of the central government, which increased tension. Iskander Mirza had lost the support of many of the leading politicians and was alarmed at a plan by Suhrawardy to unite the political leadership of Bengal and Punjab against him. Therefore he turned to Ayub Khan and the military for help.