Pakistan after Decade of Progress (1971-1988)

2026 Syllabus Objectives

By the end of these notes, you will be able to:

  1. Evaluate how successful Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's policies were between 1971-77
  2. Explain why Bhutto was overthrown in 1977
  3. Assess how successful Zia-ul-Haq's policies were between 1977-88
  4. Identify the problems that Zia-ul-Haq faced during his rule
  5. Describe Bhutto's key policies: controlling the army, Simla Agreement, 1973 Constitution, and various reforms
  6. Analyze Zia's Islamisation programme, constitutional changes (Eighth Amendment), treatment of women and minorities, and the impact of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

Part 1: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1971-1977)

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Background: Why Did Bhutto Come to Power?

In 1971, Pakistan faced one of its worst crises. The country had just lost a war against India, and as a result, East Pakistan broke away to become Bangladesh. This was a huge blow to Pakistan's national pride and military strength.

Key events that brought Bhutto to power:

  • Military defeat in 1971: The Pakistan Army was demoralized (felt hopeless and defeated) after losing the war
  • President Yahya Khan was disgraced: People blamed him for the loss of East Pakistan
  • Loss of East Pakistan: Half of Pakistan's population was gone, creating widespread anger
  • Bhutto's popularity: His political party, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), had won the majority of votes in West Pakistan during the 1970 elections
  • Appealing slogan: Bhutto used the slogan "Roti, Kapra, aur Makaan" (Food, Clothing, and Shelter), which promised to help poor people

On December 20, 1971, Bhutto became Pakistan's President and the first Civil Martial Law Administrator (a civilian with the powers usually held by military commanders during martial law).

Controlling the Army

After the 1971 defeat, Bhutto knew that the army was very powerful and could be a threat to his government. He wanted to make sure the military would not interfere with his policies or overthrow him.

Steps Bhutto took to control the army:

  1. Inquiry Committee: He formed a committee led by Justice Hamood-ur-Rahman to investigate what went wrong in East Pakistan. This put the military on the defensive.

  2. Removal of senior officers: In March 1972, Bhutto removed 43 high-ranking military officials, including:

    • General Gul Hassan Khan (Chief of Army Staff)
    • Air Marshal Rahim Khan (Chief of Air Staff)

  3. Appointed loyalists: He chose people he could trust for top military positions, such as General Tikka Khan as the new Chief of Army Staff.

Result: These actions gave Bhutto control over the army in the short term, but they also created resentment among military officers who felt unfairly targeted.

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