Abstract: The Zia ul-Haq regime adopted state-led Islamization to shore up waning state power. It adopted aspects of Islamist ideology to reshape the country's judicial and political structures. This strategy expanded state power after years of domestic strife and at a time when Pakistan was involved in the Afghan War. The policy was also used to legitimate military rule, providing a justification for its continuation as demands for democratization grew. The Islamization strategy firmly entrenched the postcolonial state in Islamic ideology and allowed the military to ally itself with Islamist forces to achieve its goals.

Keywords: Afghan War, democratization, Islamic ideology, Islamism, Islamization, legitimation, military rule, Pakistan, postcolonial state, Zia ul-Haq,