CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ISLAMIZATION UNDER THE ERA OF ZIA UL-HAQ

General Zia Al-Haq imposed Martial Law on July 5, 1977, as a result of the political unrest in Pakistan. UnderZia Al-Haq's leadership (1977–1988), Islamization gained new momentum. He started a comprehensivestrategy to purge anything non-Islamic from Pakistani culture and the state. His Islamization effort took intoaccount Pakistan's socioeconomic, legal-constitutional, and educational establishments. The nation embracedthe principles of the Islamic udd, the Penal Code, and the Zakt-'Ushr legislation. Riba was outlawed and P&Laccounting was implemented in banks as part of the Islamization of the economy. He also created the FederalShar'at Court, the Shar'at Appellate Benches, and the Shar'ah Council, and renamed parliament Majlis Al-Shr. The enforcement of gambling rules and the encouragement of women to wear headscarves (chadar) aretwo examples of the social changes brought about by Nizm-e-Mutafi. The reading of the Arabic news was mademandatory, and radio and television programming judged incompatible with Islam was restricted. Theestablishment of a completely Islamic state in Pakistan was the stated objective of President Zia's Islamizationefforts. His political status was bolstered by those who disapproved of his initiatives.