Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto 1971-79
Domestic Policies:
o Changes in the Military
o 1973 Constitution
o Agricultural Reforms
o Industrial Reforms
o Educational Reforms
o Health Reforms
o Administrative Reforms
Foreign Policy:
o 1972 Simla Agreement
o 1972 Visit to Soviet Union
Changes in the Military:
o Positive: Removed Important Military Officers from power, Brought in supporters and improved
Rule. (Tikka Khan replaced with Gul Hassan as Chief of Army Staff)
o Negative: Established Federal Security force (FSF), Misused by him to get rid of the opponents,
accused of murdering an opponent and was hanged.
Constitution 1973:
o Positive: Approved, was democratic, strengthened his govt, no more criticism.
o Positive: Islam Republic of Pakistan, approved by Ulemas. President and PM as Muslims. Jammat
e Islami approved of it.
o Positive: Lower House (National Assembly) had seats equal to population, but Upper House
(senate) had seats equal in provinces. Thus helped minorities and stopped Punjabi Domination.
Agriculture:
o Negative: Land Reforms, halved Ayub’s Limits. Landlords understated it by transferring lands,
thus it was not brought in properly
o Negative: Tenant first right of purchase was given, but useless since tenants too poor.
Industrial:
Positive: Nationalized Industries leading to Economic Growth increasing, Inflation going down by 25%
Negative: Lack of experts, qualified managers to run these since there was no education system to
produce qualified teachers.
Educational:
Positive: Free Education was provided
Negative: Administration was not in place to provide this. Child Labour tendencies meant that this
was unlikely to succeed. Literacy rate increased by a measly 1%.
Health Reforms:
o Positive: IFM was really high, Life Expectancy was really low, He reduced these through Rurl
Health Cetners in villages as well as Basic Health Units, which provided free health care
o Positive: All medicines had to be sold under medical names, cheaper and more affordable
o Negative: but also meant less investment by foreign companies and substandard medicine
Administrative:
o Positive: Unified pay scales, removing unnecessary
o Negative: Reorganized CSF into numerous levels and let anyone join at any level without working
their way up, but opponents accused him of doing this to let him appoint his own people at
positions he wanted.
Foreign Policy:
o Positive: Simla Agreement of 1971, Pakistani POW’s were returned
o Positive: Kashmir agreement, improved Indo-Pak relations and Pakistani Image
o Positive: Soviet Union visit in 1972, they agreed to build a steel mill in Pakistan.
Why did Bhutto come to power?
o Army had been defeated by India and was at a low ebb, Yayha (Martial Law Administrator and
and president had been disgraced. The army was at a low ebb. Bhutto took the opportunity to
seek power.
o E.P had been lost, and became Bangladesh. Yayha and army were blamed. Bhutto decided to
take advantage of this and force Zia down and attempt to shape Pakistan.
o His program of reforms: Food, Clothing and Shelter was attractive and appealed to the electorate.
Thus he won a majority in W.P in the national assembly in 1970 elections. Thus it was his
democratic right.
Why did Bhutto fall from power?
o Bhutto rigged the elections of 1977, which was apparent with PPP’s “shocking” landslide victory.
In some areas, the results were announced even before the votes were counted. This effected his
credibility and sowed the seeds for his decline.
o Greatly angered the opposition alliance, the PNA which began large scale strikes and
demonstrations in all parts of Pakistan. This instability gave Zia, the Chief of army staff a reason to
take over by imposing Martial Law which ended Bhutto’s government.
o The economic policies angered the populace. (nationalization, land reforms) and began to work
against his rule.
Why was Bhutto executed?
o When Zia released Bhutto, he tried to reassert his political power by gaining the support of the
people. This was a threat to the rule of Zia.
o Moreover Bhutto, along with 3 others was accused of murdering a political opponent by sending
the FSF. The trial took place, lasted for 2 years, found Bhutto guilty.
o Bhutto had threatened Zia that he would charge him for tampering with the constitution, Zia feared
punishment under article 6 of the constitution. Thus got Bhutto executed.
