Infamous Assassinations — Season 1, Episode 11: The Assassination of Zia Al Huq

Episode synopsis

On August 17 1988, en route for a military base in Northern Pakistan, Pakistan's pro-military strongman was brought down by a bomb in his Hercules transport plane, possibly in retaliation for helping the rebels fight the Russians in Afghanistan. Was a Russian agent in the aircraft minutes before he took off?

About Infamous Assassinations

This brand-new and exclusive series takes a closer look at some of the world's most talked-about assassinations and near misses. Always a fascinating and macabre subject, assassinations can damage a nation's confidence, create wars and shock the world. Throughout this series some of the 20th century's most outrageous attempts can, thanks to rare archive footage and reconstructions, be seen first hand and viewers are brought closer to the events than ever before. From the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Mahatma Ghandi, to attacks on royalty, politicians and media celebrities, this series uncovers the real reasons behind these events and how they unfolded.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Assassination of Ernst Roehm
• E2The attempt on Princess Anne
• E3The Assassination of John Lennon
• E4The Assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten
• E5The Assassination of Trotsky
• E6The Assassination of Pope John Paul II
• E7The Assassination of Sikorski
• E8The Assassination of President McKinley
• E9The Assassination of Heydrich
• E10The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin
• E12The Assassination of Verwoerd
• E13The Assassinations of Indira & Rajiv Gandhi