Lecture No.
15
Important Events of Post-Partition
Political History
1. Civil Rule
Pakistan got independence on 14th August 1947
Pakistan comprised of two wings East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (Now
Pakistan)
Pakistan’s two wings were separated by some 1600 km of Indian territory
Quaid-e-Azam passed away on 11 September 1948, only 13 months after the birth of Pakistan
Khwaja Nazim-ud-Din, Chief Minister of East Bengal, took the office of Governor General after
Quaid’s demise
Liaquat Ali Khan, first Prime Minister, was assassinated on 16 October 1951 at Company Bagh,
Rawalpindi
Nazim-ud-Din became 2nd Prime Minister and Ghulam Muhammad, Pakistan’s first Finance
Minister, took the office of governor general
The Lahore riots of 1953 against Ahmadiyya movement______ Khwaja Nazim-ud-Din was
dismissed
Muhammad Ali Bogra became 3rd Prime Minister
Provincial elections in East Bengal were held in 1954. Muslim League lost these elections to
United Front led by Fazl-ul-Haq
Constituent assembly was dissolved by Governor General Ghulam Muhammad in October 1954
Muhammad Ali Bogra was dismissed in 1955
New Prime Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Ali supported the merger of the all provinces and
tribal areas of West Pakistan into One-Unit in October 1955.
1st Constitution of Pakistan after 9-years of Independence was introduced on 23rd March 1956
On 7th October 1958 due to political and economic turmoil, President Iskandar Mirza abrogated
the constitution and imposed first martial law.
On 27 October 1958 Ayyub Khan became President and Iskandar Mirza left for London never
returned to Pakistan
2. Ayyub Khan’s Martial Law to 1970 General Elections
After banishment of Iskandar Mirza to London, the office of President was occupied by Gen.
Ayyub Khan on 27th October 1958
Ayyub’s Martial Law lasted 44 months
He introduced EBDO (Electoral Bodies Disqualification Order)
“Friends Not Master”______ a book written by Gen. Ayyub Khan
Ayyub Khan introduced the concept of Basic Democracy
Presidential elections took place in 1960 and Gen. Ayyub Khan became president
2nd constitution was promulgated on 8 June 1962
2nd presidential elections were held in 1965 between Gen.Ayyub Khan and Fatma Jinnah. Gen.
Ayyub Khan won the elections
Things changed after September 1965 war with India especially after Tashkent Declarations
Tashkent Declaration was signed on 10 January 1966 between India’s PM Lal Bahadur Shastri
and Gen. Muhammad Ayyub Khan. This declaration was mediated by Premier of USSR
Different protests were started against Gen. Ayyub Khan in 1969
Pakistan’s 2nd martial law was imposed by Gen. Yahya Khan on March 25, 1969 and constitution
was abrogated
Gen. Yahya Khan abolished One-Unit system in 1970. Balochistan became province in 1970
In March 1970, Gen. Yahya Khan proclaimed LFO (Legal Framework Order)
First general elections were held on December 7, 1970
Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rahman got majority in East Pakistan
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto got majority in West Pakistan
Fall of Dhaka on 16 December 1971
3. Bhutto’s Rise to Power Until Death of Gen. Zia
On December 20, 1971, Gen. Yahya Kha resigned and handed over power to Bhutto who
became president
Bhutto served as first Civilian Martial Law Administrator
New constitution was promulgated on August 14, 1973
Political turmoil was started, in 1977 a large number of opposition political parties grouped to
form Pakistan National Alliance (PNA)
5 July 1977 Gen. Zia imposed martial law in major cities of Karachi, Lahore, and Hyderabad. But
soon after he imposed martial law in the whole country
On 4 April 1979, Zulfiqar Bhutto was hanged for the alleged murder of Nawab Mohammad
Ahmad
Gen. Zia introduced the policy of Islamization and promulgated Zakat and Ushr ordinance on
June 20, 1980
Non-party based National and Provincial elections were held on February 25, 1985. Muhammad
Khan Janejo was nominated as Prime Minister and Gen. Zia became president
Gen. Zia took the refuge of Article 58(2)(b) and dismissed the Junejo’s government on May 29,
1988
Gen. Zia died in a mysterious plane crash near Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988. He was the
longest serving head of state of Pakistan
