President Asif Ali Zardari’s political attachment is nothing new in the country’s history, as the presidency has always remained involved in political activities and most democratic presidents had strong affiliations with certain parties or members of a political party. On the other hand, even military dictators or presidents with military backgrounds have kept various political parties for legitimising there stay in power.
The first president of Pakistan from March 1956 to October 1958 had a strong affiliation with the Republican Party. Although his successor, President Muhammad Ayub Khan, October 1958 to March 1969, entered the power corridors with military might, he eventually attached himself with the Pakistan Muslim League. Later, military dictator Yahya Khan, March 1969 to December 1971, though had no clear political attachment, he had his sympathies for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
The next civil martial law administrator and eventually the president, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, was the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The next president, Fazal Elahi Chaudhry, August 1973 to September 1978, was a great admirer of the PPP. He was replaced by military dictator General Muhammad Ziaul Haq in September 1978 following the toppling of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’e regime. He remained in power until his death in August 1988.
Zia also declared himself the president of the country through a referendum that was supported by the Pakistan Muslim League. The next president, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, August 1988 to July 1993, had a strong inclination towards the PML and Presidency remained at the centre of political activities during his term. He was replaced by acting president Wasim Sajjad, July 1993 to November 1993, who was an active member of the Pakistan Muslim League. His replacement was Farooq Leghari, November 1993 to December 1997, who was a veteran PPP legislator.
The next president was Muhammad Rafiq Tarar, January 1998 to June 2001, a member of the PML-N and appointed by party leadership after its landslide election victory in 1997. He was ousted by General (r) Pervez Musharraf in October 1999 after a bloodless coup. Musharraf went on to become the president of the country in June 2001 through a referendum and backing of PML-Q, and remained in power until his resignation in August 2008.
He was replaced by acting president Muhammad Mian Soomro, who was affiliated with the PML-Q. The incumbent president, also the PPP co-chairman, was elected to the slot in September 2008. The country’s whole ruling history reflects that everyone who became the president was either from or was backed by a political party.