<P> From 1976 to 1977, Bhutto was in diplomatic conflict with the United States, which worked covertly to damage the credibility of Bhutto in Pakistan . Bhutto, with his scientist colleague Aziz Ahmed, thwarted US attempts to infiltrate the atomic bomb programme . In 1976, during a secret mission, Henry Kissinger threatened Bhutto and his colleagues . In response Bhutto aggressively campaigned for efforts to speed up the atomic project . </P> <P> In early 1976 Bhutto's socialist alliance collapsed, forcing his left - wing allies to form an alliance with right - wing conservatives and Islamists to challenge the power of the PPP . The Islamists started a Nizam - e-Mustafa movement which demanded the establishment of an Islamic state in the country and the removal of immorality from society . In an effort to meet the demands of Islamists Bhutto banned the drinking and selling of wine by Muslims, nightclubs and horse racing . In 1977 general elections were held in which the Peoples Party were victorious . This was challenged by the opposition, which accused Bhutto of rigging the election process . There were protests against Bhutto and public disorder, causing Chief of the Army Staff General Muhammad Zia - ul - Haq to take power in a bloodless coup . Following this Bhutto and his leftist colleagues were dragged into a two - year - long political trial in the Supreme Court . Bhutto was executed in 1979 after being convicted of authorising the murder of a political opponent in a controversial 4--3 split decision by the Supreme Court . </P> <P> This period of military rule, lasting from 1977 to 1988, is often regarded as a period of persecution and the growth of state - sponsored religious conservatism . Zia - ul - Haq committed himself to establishing an Islamic state and enforcing sharia law . He established separate shariat judicial courts and court benches to judge legal cases using Islamic doctrine . New criminal offences of adultery, fornication and types of blasphemy, and new punishments of whipping, amputation, and stoning to death, were added to Pakistani law . Interest payments for bank accounts were replaced by "profit and loss" payments . Zakat charitable donations became a 2.5% annual tax . School textbooks and libraries were overhauled to remove un-Islamic material . Offices, schools and factories were required to offer prayer space . Zia bolstered the influence of the Islamic clergy and the Islamic parties, whilst conservative scholars became fixtures on television . Thousands of activists from the Jamaat - e-Islami party were appointed to government posts to ensure the continuation of his agenda after his death . Conservative Islamic scholars were appointed to the Council of Islamic Ideology . Separate electorates for Hindus and Christians were established in 1985 even though Christian and Hindu leaders complained that they felt excluded from the county's political process . Zia's state - sponsored Islamization increased sectarian divisions in Pakistan between Sunnis and Shias due to his anti-Shia policies and also between Deobandis and Barelvis . Zia - ul - Haq forged a strong alliance between the military and Deobandi institutions . Possible motivations for the Islamization programme included Zia's personal piety (most accounts agree that he came from a religious family), his desire to gain political allies, to "fulfill Pakistan's raison d'être" as a Muslim state, or the political need to legitimise what was seen by some Pakistanis as his "repressive, un-representative martial law regime". </P> <P> President Zia's long eleven - year rule featured the country's first successful technocracy . It also featured the tug of war between far - leftist forces in direct competition with populist far - right circles . President Zia installed many high - profile military officers in civilian posts, ranging from central to provisional governments . Gradually the influence of socialism in public policies was dismantled . Instead a new system of capitalism was revived with the introduction of corporatisation and the Islamization of the economy . The populist movement against Bhutto scattered, with far right - wing conservatives allying with General Zia's government and encouraging the military government to crack down on pro-Soviet left - wing elements . The left - wing alliance, led by Benazir Bhutto, was brutalised by Zia who took aggressive measures against the movement . Further secessionist uprisings in Balochistan were put down successfully by the provincial governor, General Rahimuddin Khan . In 1984, Zia held a referendum asking for support for his religious programme; he received overwhelming support . </P>

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