Fifty years after its creation, Pakistan continues its search for stability. In August 1947, at the time of independence, Pakistan symbolized the wishes and expectations of the Muslims of the subcontinent, united under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

In August 1997, there seems to be a crisis of public confidence in the country’s future. The reality of today’s Pakistan is very different from the dream. This book is in the main the story of six of Pakistan’s Presidents—Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Z. A. Bhutto, Ziaul Haq, Ghulam Ishaq Khan, and Farooq Leghari—each of whom has, in his own way, directly or indirectly, contributed to the sense of betrayal and loss of confidence that is prevalent in the country. The author also examines the question of where sovereignty really lies in Pakistan and analyses critically the roles not only for the six presidents, but also of politicians, bureaucrats, judiciary, and the armed forces, and concludes with an assessment of the implications for Pakistan’s democracy of recent political events.