Office of the Historian

253. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1

Washington, July 5, 1977

SUBJECT

  • Information Items

Pakistani Military Takeover: The Pakistani military seized power last night, after apparently concluding that there was no hope of a negotiated settlement to the four-month-old political crisis. Prime Minister Bhutto and the most important opposition leaders have been placed in “temporary protective custody,” and army commander General Zia-ul-Haq reportedly is heading the military government. Zia along with chiefs of the navy and air force have formed a Council of Government with the status of martial law administrators. President Chaudhry remains in office and the constitution has been suspended, but not abrogated. Embassy Islamabad has been assured that the measures are purely internal steps taken to save the country from disorder and will not affect its foreign policy. One Pakistani official informed the embassy that elections are still planned for October 6 and the leaders now in custody will be released to run their election campaigns.2 The embassy reports that the situation throughout the country appears normal.

[Omitted here is material unrelated to Pakistan.]

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Daily Report File, Box 2, 5/21/77–5/31/77. Top Secret; Sensitive; Contains Codeword. Printed from an uninitialed copy.↩
  2. In telegram 6830 from Islamabad, July 5, the Embassy reported that a Pakistani Foreign Ministry official privately told Constable the information regarding the elections. (National Archives, RG 59, Foreign Policy File, D770237–0875, D770246–0043)↩