Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto

(1971-1977) (1928-d.1979) 4th President, 1st elected Prime Minister

Biographical Anecdote

ZAB had been at the height of his career as Foreign Minister and virtual Prime Minister under Ayub Khan. He went to the University of California
(1947-50), then Christ Church, Oxford (1950-2), before being called to the Bar in England.

His first official assignment was as chairman of the Pakistan delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Seas in April
1958.President Ayub Khan came to value his intelligent and industrious young lieutenant, first as Commerce Minister and then as Minister for Fuel,
Power and Natural Resources. ZAB realized his cherished ambition to become Foreign Minister on the sudden death in 1963 of Mohammad Ali
Bogra, who had briefly been Ayub Khan's second Foreign Minister in 1963.

In the first phase (1957-1965), he started his political career by joining president Iskander Mirza’s cabinet as commerce minister. The highlights of
this tenure as foreign minister include the initiation of Pakistan’s relationship with China and success in attracting investment and commerce from
countries in the Soviet bloc. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s personal inclination towards the socialist ideology and his desire to be seen as a pro-people
politician helped him become the chief architect of Sino-Pakistan relationship that continues to flourish to this day.

He also made Pakistan a prominent member of the Non-Aligned Movement, built close diplomatic relationships with the Arab nationalist-cum-
socialist Ba’ath parties and extended support to movements for national liberation and progressive change in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
These were remarkable achievements for a recently created developing country in the highly polarised world of the Cold War era.

He actively supported Ayub Khan in his presidential referendum against Fatima Jinnah and backed Operation Gibraltar in Kashmir that resulted in
an all-out war with India in 1965. Soon after the Tashkent Declaration calling for a ceasefire, brokered by the Soviet Union, he fell out with Ayub
Khan, accusing him of losing a war on the negotiation table after it had been won in the battlefield. This is when the second phase of his political
career (1966-1971) began.

1st December 1967, he launched Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Lahore which was then the capital of West Pakistan. His amalgamation of Islamic
tenets of egalitarianism and justice with social ownership of public goods and resources, democratic rule and empowerment of the marginalised
sections of the society made him popular overnight. His PPP won a majority of National Assembly seats in West Pakistan in the general elections
of 1970 but he had no support in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) where Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Awami League swept the polls, winning all but
two National Assembly seats there.

This is where we see another major contradiction in his politics — he did not side with the democratic principle of majority rule and opposed the
transfer of power to Sheikh Mujeeb. It will be, however, unfair to single him out because there was a consensus among the elites of West Pakistan
– military, bureaucracy, politicians and business – not to accept Mujeeb’s mandate and allow him to rule a united Pakistan. It was also the
military that was in power then, not Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Still, he cannot be absolved of his support for a military action in East Pakistan that
culminated in its secession from West Pakistan.

Why did Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto come to power in 1971? [7] O/N 2009

The army had been defeated by India and was at a low ebb. Yayha Khan had been disgraced and Bhutto took the opportunity to seek power.
Pakistan also lost East Pakistan which became Bangladesh and again Yayha Khan and the army were blamed – and Bhutto took advantage. His
programme of reform was attractive and appealed to the electorate. As a result, Bhutto’s party won an overall majority in the National Assembly.
He was also able to establish power by taking control of the army and appointing his own leaders. The FSF (secret police) further established his
power base.

Dr Zubair Ahmed Bhatti

 Bhutto’s Rule 1972-1977

1. ‘Education reforms were the most important of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s domestic policies between 1971
and 1977.’ Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. [14] O/N 2008
2. How successful were Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s domestic policies between 1971 and 1977? M/J 2015
3. ‘Constitutional reforms were the most important of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s domestic policies between
1971 and 1977.’ Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. [14] O/N 2011
4. In which of the following did Zulfikar Ali Bhutto have most success?
a. reform and control of the armed forces
b. constitutional reform
c. education and health reforms
Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14] M/J 2018

ZAB assumed the role of both president and chief martial law administrator on 20 th December 1971. He had a difficult task ahead of him, as he had
to deal with disgraced military, a shattered government and demoralized population. People of West Pakistan led to believe that Awami League
was nothing more than a secessionist rabble. Bhutto sought to distance himself from the whole episode and blamed it squarely on the army and
Yahya Khan. In a campaign of cleansing Army, he dismissed 43 senior army officers who were thought to have remained close with Yahya Khan.

1973 Constitution was agreed and voted on by a democratically elected assembly, marked a return to a parliamentary form of democracy after the
presidential experiment. Concessions were made to the provinces to alleviate fears that central government would overrule them on every issue.
Even more socially and politically consequential was a constitutional amendment under him that declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims.

Bhutto introduced reforms in civil services in which service cadres were consolidated and pay scales were unified in an attempt to sweep away
some of old distinctions. A lateral system of entry was introduced under which people could be appointed to the civil service at various grades.
Bhutto justified this reform with the argument that it enabled the recruitment of many professionals, however many in civil service were unhappy
with what they saw as political appointments.

Describe Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s education reforms of 1972. [4]

On 1st September 1972, a wide scale nationalization of colleges and schools was announced. There was no doubt that Bhutto government was
faced with very serious crisis in education with the official literacy rate at 25%. ZAB launched aggressive campaign based on 8 points but only 1%
literacy rate was increased due to ghost schools, his government managed to add 6,500 elementary schools, 900 middle schools, 407 high
schools, 51 intermediate colleges and 21 junior colleges, Quaid-e-Azam University, Allama Iqbal Open University established in Islamabad in
1974 and Allama Iqbal Medical College in 1975. Bhutto established engineering Council, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Pakistan Academy of
Letters and Cadet College Razmak in North Waziristan. But his policy of nationalising nascent and growing industry, banks and lending institutions
as well as private and charitable trust schools and colleges had far reaching consequences on the growth and output of these sectors.

Describe Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s health reforms of 1972. [4] M/J 2016
ZAB government launched its health scheme in August 1972, introduced rural health centres and BHUs. He also introduced drug Act in 1976. To
help in the struggle for affordable medicines and drugs, the government also banned the sale of medicines under a brand name and manufacturers
were forced to sell drugs under their medical names. The downside of this policy was that chemists, who had operated a semi-medical practice by
prescribing medicines, saw their profits fall drastically. Many international drug companies closed down their operations in Pakistan.

An Economic reform order was issued on 3rd January 1972 to give effect to the PPP programme. The banking and insurance sector was nationalized
as were at least 70 major industrial units in January 1974. A federal Ministry of production was created to oversee industry, while the role of the
private sector in business was limited. Investment in the public sector increased and ZAB managed to negotiate Soviet assistance for Pakistan’s first
steel mill in 1973. Trade unions were recognized and welfare measures were announced. ZAB government brought down inflation from 25% to 6%
in 1976. PPP had also deliberately aimed at reducing the control that a handful of business houses had exerted on the economy during the time of
Ayub Khan and was successful in this endeavor.

Dr Zubair Ahmed Bhatti

In 1972 the maximum amount of land that anyone could own was set at 150 acres of irrigated land and 300 acres of un-irrigated land. Bhutto
promised that the landless would be given land. He wanted tenants to have security of tenure, they were given the first right to buy the land that
they farmed. In reality, little of the land changed hands: landowners found various ways to get around the new regulations, and in some cases they
even evicted tenants to stop them getting security of tenure.

His half-baked socialist model applied in haste began to crack immediately, particularly because landlords subverted his land reforms and the usual
bureaucratic inefficiencies crept into the administration of nationalised businesses.

Since no single leader could replace him and no single party could challenge his PPP, the state establishment forged an alliance of his political
adversaries of all ideological hues and colours before the 1977 parliamentary elections which he was accused of rigging. The allegation led to a
violent opposition movement that his government unsuccessfully tried to suppress. It was eventually followed by a military takeover.

For his supporters, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto symbolises the best elements in politics: struggle against poverty and inequality as well as sacrifices for
democracy and civilian supremacy. For his detractors, he remains the man who played a major role in the division of the country and introduced
policies that upset the economic and social equilibrium.

Assess the effectiveness of the domestic policies introduced by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto between 1971 and 1977.
Explain your answer. M/J 2022
 the new constitution in 1973 safeguarded minority interests
 health policy aimed to improve infant mortality and life expectancy rates
 education policy introduced free primary education for all children
 profits from nationalised companies were used to improve public services such as hospitals and schools
 industrial reform led to inflation falling from 25% (1972) to 6% (1976)
 introduction of security of tenure for agricultural tenants and a ceiling on land ownership
 counter-arguments might include:
 the new constitution placed all political power with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the reform of the armed forces was opposed
 health policy inadvertently led to chemists’ profits falling
 education reforms led to overcrowding in schools
 many of these policies would take decades to become fully effective
 the newly nationalised industries became overly bureaucratic
 landowners were often able to circumvent the land reforms
 Other relevant responses should also be credited.

Explain why Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s rule ended in 1977. M/J 2017

It was against this background of improving economic data, the contained Baloch military situation and the absence of a major opposition party or
leader able to challenge ZAB popularity, that Bhutto called an election for 7th March 1977. The response of various opposition parties to this news
was vigorous. Nine parties from a wide range of political opinions combined to form the PNA. The size of the crowds it was able to attract worried
the PPP high command. PNA raised slogans to establish pure Islamic law in Pakistan. PNA rallies were often disrupted by armed gangs suspected of
working for the government.

The PNA refused to contest any seats in Balochistan as the army was still in charge there. All the main cities of Pakistan had been under 144 of the
code of criminal procedure. Election results announced that of 200 contested seats in the NA, the PPP had won 154 seats whilst the PNA had won
38. The PNA was outraged by the results and demanded not merely a recount but fresh elections under a neutral administration. On the
predictable refusal of this demand by Bhutto, a mass protest was launched by the PNA, thus situation became violent and dangerous. Martial law
was declared in major cities of Pakistan but with little effect. The PNA leadership was arrested and by June it was estimated that up to 300 people
had been killed and 10000 arrested since March elections. Facing widespread civil disobedience, Bhutto lost control of the army as well. On the
night of 5th July 1977, Pakistan Army arrested Bhutto and took all other major political leaders into custody in a move named Operation Fairplay.

Dr Zubair Ahmed Bhatti

Why was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto executed in 1979? M/J 2014

Bhutto was planning to press for treason trials under the terms of the 1973 Constitution; it became less likely that the army would leave so soon.
Bhutto was briefly released at the end of July 1977 and announced rather prematurely that he intended to reassert his political authority.

On 3 September, the Army arrested Bhutto again on charges of authorizing the murder of a political opponent in March 1974. A 35-year-old
politician Ahmed Raza Kasuri and his family had been ambushed, leaving Kasuri's father, Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan Kasuri, dead. Kasuri
claimed that he was the actual target, accusing Bhutto of orchestrating the attack. Bhutto was released 10 days after his arrest after a judge, Justice
KMA Samdani, found the evidence to be "contradictory and incomplete." As a result, Justice Samdani was immediately removed from the bench
and placed at the disposal of the law ministry. Three days later on 17th September, Zia arrested Bhutto again on the same charges, this time under
"martial law."

Bhutto was arraigned before the High Court of Lahore instead of in a lower court, thus depriving him of one level of appeal. The judge who had
granted him bail had been removed. Five new judges were appointed, headed by Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Maulvi Mushtaq Hussain.
Hussain had previously served as Bhutto's foreign secretary in 1965, and was alleged to have strongly disliked and distrusted Bhutto.

The trial lasted for two years. Masood Mahmood, the director general of the Federal Security Force testified against Bhutto. In his testimony, he
claimed Bhutto had ordered Kasuri's assassination and that four members of the Federal Security Force had organized the ambush on Bhutto's
orders. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark called it a mock trial fought in a Kangaroo court. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged on 4 th April
1979.

What was FSF? [4]

The Federal Security Force (FSF) was a paramilitary force created by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, while he was the President of Pakistan. FSF was established
in 1972, created as a civil task force of the federal government, ostensibly to assist the civil administration and the police in the maintenance of law
and order without requiring the intervention of the military. Jalaludin Abdur Rahim (1st secretary general of PPP)—one of the founding fathers of
Pakistan Peoples‟ Party and its Foundation Documents—was physically assaulted by the Federal Security Force on the orders of Bhutto. Mr. Saeed
Khan, Director General of FSF, with his contingent reached at the residence of J. A. Rahim, got him with strong hands, fetched him to Bhutto and J.
A. Rahim was forcibly sent out of the country. The FSF was disbanded by General Zia-ul Haq after he, in 1977, overthrew the Bhutto government in
a military coup.

Describe the Simla Agreement. [4] M/J2013, O/N 2010

The treaty was signed in Simla on 2nd July 1972 in India by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the Prime minister of Pakistan, and Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister
of India. The agreement also paved the way for diplomatic recognition of Bangladesh by Pakistan. Some of the major outcomes of the Simla
Agreement are: Both countries will "settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations". India has, many a times, maintained
that Kashmir dispute is a bilateral issue and must be settled through bilateral negotiations as per Simla Agreement, 1972 and thus, had denied any
third party intervention even that of United Nations. The agreement converted the cease-fire line of 17 December 1971 into the Line of
Control (LOC) between India and Pakistan and it was agreed that "neither side shall seek to alter it unilaterally, irrespective of mutual differences
and legal interpretations".

What was Delhi Agreement? [4]

The Delhi Agreement was a trilateral agreement signed between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on 28 August 1973; and ratified only by India and
Pakistan. It allowed the repatriation of prisoners of war and interned officials held in the three countries after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
The agreement has been criticised for Pakistan's failure to repatriate Urdu-speakers in Bangladesh and not holding to account 195 senior military
officials accused of breach of conduct during war. The treaty was signed by the foreign ministers of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in New Delhi
after the Simla Agreement.

Dr Zubair Ahmed Bhatti