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Ayub Khan

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World Leader

The Resume

    (May 14, 1907-April 19, 1974)
    Born in Rehana, Pakistan
    Birth name was Muhammad Ayub Khan
    Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army (1951-55)
    Minister of Defense (1954-55)
    President of Pakistan (1958-69)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was named Chief of Staff over several more senior generals, reportedly because he was considered less ambitious and more committed to a civilian government than other candidates.
    He took power in a military coup.
    He kept the presidency through a rigged election (1965).
    During his presidency, his family raked in $10-20 million through nepotism and corruption.
    Income inequality grew during his reign, with five million people falling below the poverty line.
    As president, he awarded himself Pakistan's highest civilian medal and promoted himself from general to field marshal.
    He launched an attack in the disputed territory of Kashmir, expecting the Kashmiri people to revolt against India and produce a swift victory (August 5, 1965).
    When that did not happen, the war ended with a bloody stalemate.
    In the wake of widespread protests over increasing food prices, he tried to declare martial law, only to discover the military no longer supported him, forcing his resignation (March 25, 1969).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He fought with the British Army in Burma during World War II.
    He pursued close relations with the US, including allowing American U-2 spy planes to operate from bases in Pakistan.
    He promoted industrialization, resulting in rapid growth in the Gross National Product.
    He reformed the nation's Islamic-based family laws, abolishing unlimited polygamy, requiring a wife's consent before a second marriage, and ending instant divorce, where a man could end a marriage by saying 'I divorce you' three times.
    He promoted birth control, saying that without family planning, a time would come when 'Pakistanis eat Pakistanis.'
    He survived an assassination attempt in East Pakistan (Bangladesh).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 98 Votes: 58.16% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 67 Votes: 46.27% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 43 Votes: 51.16% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 26 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 34 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 59 Votes: 50.85% Annoying