Daga 1977 zuwa 1988, Pakistan ta fuskanci wani lokaci na mulkin soja a karkashin Janar Zia-ul-Haq, wanda ke da girman ci gaban ra'ayin addini da zalunci da gwamnati ke daukar nauyinta.Zia ta himmatu wajen kafa daular Musulunci da aiwatar da shari'ar Musulunci, da kafa kotunan shari'a daban-daban, da gabatar da hukunce-hukuncen laifuka na Musulunci, gami da hukumci mai tsanani.Musuluntar Tattalin Arziki ya haɗa da canje-canje kamar maye gurbin biyan ruwa tare da raba riba-asara da sanya harajin zakka.Har ila yau, mulkin Zia ya ga kawar da tasirin gurguzu da haɓaka fasahar fasaha, tare da jami'an soja da ke mamaye matsayin farar hula da kuma sake dawo da manufofin jari-hujja.Kungiyar 'yan tawaye karkashin jagorancin Bhutto ta fuskanci danniya mai tsanani, yayin da aka dakile yunkurin ballewa a Balochistan.Zia ya gudanar da zaben raba gardama a shekarar 1984, inda ya samu goyon bayan manufofinsa na addini.Dangantakar kasashen waje ta Pakistan ta canja, inda dangantakarta da Tarayyar Soviet ta kara tabarbarewa, da kuma karfafa dangantakarta da Amurka , musamman bayan tsoma bakin Soviet a Afghanistan .Pakistan ta zama mai taka rawa wajen tallafawa sojojin da ke adawa da Tarayyar Soviet, yayin da take kula da kwararar 'yan gudun hijirar Afghanistan da kuma fuskantar kalubalen tsaro.Tashin hankali da Indiya ya karu, gami da rikice-rikice game da Glacier na Siachen da tura sojoji.Zia ta yi amfani da diflomasiyyar cricket don sassauta rikici da Indiya tare da yin kalamai masu tayar da hankali don dakile matakin sojan Indiya.A karkashin matsin lamba na Amurka, Zia ta dage dokar soja a shekarar 1985, inda ta nada Muhammad Khan Junejo a matsayin firaminista, amma daga baya ta sallame shi a cikin tashin hankali.Zia ta mutu a wani hatsarin jirgin sama mai ban mamaki a cikin 1988, ya bar gadon gado na karuwar tasirin addini a Pakistan da kuma canjin al'adu, tare da haɓaka kidan dutsen karkashin kasa wanda ke ƙalubalantar ƙa'idodin mazan jiya.