A native of Gujranwala, Pakistan, Muhammad Ayub studied in Islamia college and Government college in his native city. As a student, he was appointed as Battalion Commander, National Cadet Corps and was awarded the Best NCC Award in 1977. In 1980, he joined the University of the Punjab, Lahore, earning his master’s degree in 1984. That same year he joined the Civil Service and worked for the department of education, but he resigned after serving only five months. The last duty he performed as a government official was to serve as presiding officer during the general elections of 1985. An Army, Its Role and Rule is Muhammad Ayub’s third book. The other two were published in Pakistan in 1985 and 2002.