In 1949, the Objectives Resolution was passed, which defined the basic principles of the state, including sovereignty of Allah and democracy. However, the resolution's implications were ambiguous, and its interpretation has been a subject of debate ever since.

In 1969, General Yahya Khan took over, following widespread unrest and student-led protests. Yahya Khan imposed martial law, suspended the 1962 Constitution, and introduced a new order. However, his regime was marked by brutal suppression of Bengali nationalism, which ultimately led to the secession of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971.

In 1988, Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's daughter, became the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan. Her government was marked by significant economic reforms, but her rule was short-lived, as she was dismissed on corruption charges.