MEMOGATE HAS been haunting Pakistan for several months now and with the latest development, the rift seems to have widened between the civilian government and the military. The world is watching the developments closely as many people feel that coup is in the air, though this is nothing new for the country that has been ruled by the army for more than half of its 65 year-old existence.

The tension between civilian government and the Pakistani military hit the latest low after PM Gilani fired his defence secretary, Naem Khalid Lodhi, a retired army general and a close confidant of Army chief Ashfaq Kayani, reported PTI. The army is so agitated over the decision that it has said that it won’t work with the new chief, Nargis Sethi, though it has expressed that it won’t act violently. Media speculated all the night that the country would wake up to a military coup on Thursday morning. Though the reason for the speculations grew after President Zardari’s sudden and unannounced visit to Dubai and even it was reported that Zardari returned home early this morning because of the coup fear.

As has been previously reported as well, Pakistan would have been taken over by the military as it had got enough reasons in the form of the crisis after the Osama raid but General Kayani is believed to be someone who doesn’t want the military to take over the reins. Even the memo sent to the US claimed that army was preparing to take over after the Osama killing but something has stopped the powerful army that has ruled the country for most of the time.

In this backdrop, let's take a look at the coups and the military governments that the country has had since it came into existence in 1947 after the partition of India.

General Musharraf took over the reins after toppling the civilian but unpopular government of Nawaz Sharif in 1998 in a bloodless coup. He ruled the country for several years before being elected as the country’s tenth president. Though his first three years were lauded for bringing economic empowerment but his last two years were marred with controversies after he dismissed the Supreme Court Judge, Iftikhar Choudhary.

Gneral Zia Ul Haq ousted Prime Minister Bhutto in 1977 and took over the reins of the country and continued to rule through his military till Benazir Bhutto swept the elections held in 1988. Seen as the capoable daughter of his popular and gifted Prime Minster Father, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir even failed to make a breakthrough and was dismissed on the corruption charges in 1990. Zia regime is seen as one the harshest as it led to the rise of religious fundamentalism across the country.

General Yahya Khan assumed the power from Ayub Khan in 1969 and lasted till December 1971 when 90,000 Pakistani troops surrendered in Dhaka, leading to the formation of Bangladesh that was previously East Pakistan.

In 1958, General Ayub Khan became the first general to take over the country after more than ten years of successive political governments failed to make an impact. He seized power through Pakistan Muslim League and ruled until 1969.