Muhammad Ayub Khan was born on May 14, 1907, in Rehana, Haripur District in North-West Frontier Province, British India. His Father was a British Army officer and he followed suit and studied at the Sandhurst Military. He served in the British colonial army, serving as a battalion commander during World War II. After Pakistan's independence, Ayub rose to become Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistani Defense Forces.
In 1958, he led a military coup and declared himself President. Ayub instituted extensive social reforms. The unsuccessful war with India, as well as the repressive nature of his regime, resulted in rioting and severe unrest. On March 26, 1969, he resigned.