Date with Pakistan

1947 - The creation of Pakistan: Muslim state of East and West Pakistan created after partition with India as the British rule ends. Thousands die in communal violence and millions rendered homeless.

1948 - The first governor general of Pakistan, Muhammed Ali Jinnah, also known as Qaid-e-Azam, dies.

1948 – The first battle for Kashmir: War with India over disputed Kashmir territory.

1951 - Liaquat Ali Khan, Jinnah's successor, is shot dead in a rally in Rawalpindi.

1954 - Pakistan signs mutual defence agreement with the United States.

1956 - Constituent assembly adopts name of Islamic Republic of Pakistan as per its Constitution.

1958 - Martial law declared and political parties banned as General Ayyub Khan takes over.

1960 - General Ayyub Khan becomes the first elected president of Pakistan.

1965 – The second war with India over Kashmir begins; ends after a UN call for cease fire.

1969 - General Yahya Khan takes over, imposes martial law.

1971 – India and Pakistan fight war over East Pakistan which ends with surrender of 90,000 Pakistani troops and leads to the creation of Bangladesh from former East Pakistan. Yahya hands power to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

1972 – Martial law is lifted; Simla peace agreement signed in India.

1977 - Army chief General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq seizes power, arrests Bhutto and declares martial law. Constitution is suspended.

1979 - Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is hanged in a disputed conviction for conspiring to commit a political murder.

1980 - Soviet invasion of Afghanistan – US pledges assistance to Pakistan.

1985 - Martial law and political parties ban lifted. Zia holds non-party elections and names Mohammad Khan Junejo prime minister.

1986 - Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's daughter Benazir returns from exile to lead PPP in campaign for fresh elections.

1988 - General Zia, the US ambassador and top Pakistan army officials die in mysterious air crash.

1988 - Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People’s Party wins the general election.

1990 - An uprising against Indian rule in the Kashmir Valley breaks out; Benazir Bhutto is dismissed as prime minister on charges corruption; Nawaz Sharif is elected prime minister in November.

1991 – Sharif’s economic liberalisation programme begins. Islamic Shariah law formally incorporated.

1993 - Benazir Bhutto becomes prime minister for the second time after winning general elections.

1994 – Peace talks with India break down.

1996 - President Leghari fires Bhutto government, dissolves parliament, and calls for elections.

1997 - Nawaz Sharif returns as prime minister after his Pakistan Muslim League party wins elections.

1998 - Pakistan conducts five nuclear tests in response to India's tests.

1999 April - Benazir Bhutto and her husband sentenced to jail for five years. Benazir stays out of Pakistan.

1999 May - Kargil conflict: Pakistan-backed forces fight the Indian military in Kargil in Indian-held Kashmir. More than 1,000 people killed from both sides.

1999 October - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is overthrown in a military coup headed by General Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan suspended from Commonwealth.

2000 April - Nawaz Sharif sentenced to life imprisonment. The charges: hijacking and terrorism.

2000 December - Nawaz Sharif pardoned by military authorities, goes in exile.

2001 June - Gen Pervez Musharraf names himself president, remains head of the army.

2001 July - Musharraf meets Indian PM Atal Behari Vajpayee in the first summit in two years. No breakthrough achieved due to differences over Kashmir.

2001 October - India fires on Pakistani military posts.

2001 December - India imposes sanctions against Pakistan; Pakistan retaliates with similar sanctions.

2002 January - Musharraf bans Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

2002 January - Musharraf announces that elections will be held in October 2002 to end three years of military rule.

2002 May - Pakistan test fires Ghauri missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

2002 August - Opposition accuses Musharraf of dictatorship.

2002 October - First general election since the 1999 military coup. Result: A hung parliament.

2002 November - Mir Zafarullah Jamali selected as prime minister by the National Assembly, the first civilian premier since the 1999 military coup.

2003 - President Musharraf survives an attempt on his life.

2004 February - Leading nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan admits to having leaked nuclear weapons secrets.

2004 May - Pakistan readmitted to Commonwealth.

2004 August - Shaukat Aziz sworn in as prime minister.

2005 January - Militants in Balochistan attack Pakistan's largest natural gas field.

2005 April - Bus services start between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar.

2005 August - Pakistan tests nuclear-capable cruise missile.

2005 October - An earthquake kills tens of thousands of people. City of Muzaffarabad worst hit.