- January 1977 – national and provincial assemblies dissolved
- Scheduled for 2nd half – Bhutto, expecting a landslide win, pushed it earlier
- 7th March 1977 – election for 200 National Assembly seats
- Second General Election in Pakistan
- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s PPP Vs Pakistan National Alliance (PNA)
- Bhutto’s Islamic Socialism Vs PNA’s religion-centric campaign
- PNA – pre-poll alliance of nine political parties
- PNA boycotted provincial assembly elections
- Bhutto won with landslide – 155 of 200 seats
- PNA – election was rigged – didn’t accept the result
- Anti-Bhutto protests – mass demonstrations/violence – by PNA supporters
- Bhutto’s government couldn’t control it
- Bhutto/PNA agreed for fresh elections
- General Zia’s entry – martial law imposed
- Military coup – Bhutto government deposed – 5th July 1977 – Bhutto arrested
- General Zia – promised next election in 90 days
- 18th October 1977 was finalized – General Zia cancelled it
- Martial law was extended indefinitely
