ABSTRACT
This chapter provides brief overview of developments between 1947 and 1969. It presents an overview of how some of the factors facilitated the ascendancy of the bureaucratic-military elites during the pre-military hegemonic phase of Pakistan’s political development, and how these elites came to dominate the structure of economic and political decision-making during this phase. Emergence of Pakistan divided the military and the British Indian Civil Services between the two countries, with Muslim officers being out-numbered due to their early apprehensions about the Western education. The Pakistani case reveals that the ascendancy of bureaucratic elites and the decline of political parties was the result of the success of bureaucratic-military elites in preempting their control of key governmental positions. Military hegemony has emerged as the most dominant and durable characteristic of Pakistan’s political system. The military hegemony alienated East Pakistan since the East Pakistani elites were inadequately represented in the military-bureaucratic ranks.
