Zulkifar+Ali+Bhuto

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (January 1928 - April 1979 )



I . Origins and Rise to power

A controversial Pakistani figure to this day, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's political exposure began with his father, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto, a wealthy landowner and prominent politician during the Indo-Pakistan partition in 1947. In terms of education, Zulfikar received an honors undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley in Political Science, where he lectured on the idea of Islamic Socialism. He continued his studies at Oxford University where he pursued Law and was called to the bar at the prestigious Lincoln's Inn in England in 1953. Bhutto’s political career began in1958, when he became the Commerce Minister under President Mizir. However, Bhutto became a prominent leader during the Ayub Khan's presidency, who attained power through a military coup and declared Marshall law. In 1963 Bhutto was appointed Foreign Minister and pursued an agenda free of U.S. influence through the strengthening of relations with The People's Republic of China, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, among other countries. Zulfikar's leadership was most instrumental in the conclusion of the Sino-Pakistan Boundary agreement on March 1963 with India. However, Zulfikar advocated confrontational policies against India over the Kashmir conflict, which did not conclude until a 17-day war broke out between India and Pakistan in 1965 (the Indo-Pakistani War). In the face of war, Ayub Khan and Bhutto traveled to Tashkent to meet with Indian Prime Minister Lau Bahadur Shastri and negotiate a peace treaty in January 10, 1966. The treaty, which ended with Khan's and Shastri's agreement to exchange prisoners and return territory to pre-war boundaries, was un-welcomed by the Pakistani people; thus, Khan's unpopular decisions in Tashkent caused disagreement in Pakistani government and lead to Bhutto’s resignation in June 1966. In essence, Bhutto used Pakistan discontent not only to break from the Ayub Khan administration, but also to catapult support for his newly established political party, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). His political campaign conveyed to the public the PPP’s foundation on principles of Democracy, Socialism, an Islam, while it punctuated Ayub Khan's inadequacy in the outcomes of the Tashkent affair. Although this lead to Bhutto’s first arrest, the fueling of Pakistani rebellion against the president through riots and violence, resulted in Ayub Khan's final resignation. After Ayub’s resignation, General Yahya Khan, now in command of the country, declared Marshall Law and promised to hold Parliamentary elections on December 1970. However, Bhutto’s P.P.P. failed to secure votes, ceding the majority of Parliamentary seats to the opposition, the pro-Bangladesh Awami League. This caused great national unrest among East and West Pakistan, which resulted in East-Pakistan's declaration of an independent Bangladesh in 1971. This defeat was viewed as a result of General Yahya Khan's inability to rule, and his reign ended with the transfer of power to Bhutto on December 20th 1971.

II. Bhutto's Reign Once Bhutto took over as President and Chief Marshal Law Administrator (1971-1973), he immediately began making changes in the country. In early 1972, when Britain and other western countries recognized Bangladesh as an independent state, Bhutto withdrew Pakistan from the Commonwealth of Nations and Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. S.E.A.T.O., established in 1954, was initially intended as an international organization for collective defense, however by the early 70’s it was beginning to dissolve. Bhutto’s decision to withdraw before the program collapsed entirely helped save money and better focus his efforts on the people. Also in 1972, Bhutto nationalized ten categories of major industries, introduced land reforms, and signed the Shimla Agreement with India. This agreement, signed after negotiations with Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took place, allowed for previously occupied lands to be returned and for some 93,000 prisoners of war to be returned from East Pakistan. The document also committed both nations to establish a cease-fire in Kashmir required that an agreement be made through bilateral talks. Bhutto established an atomic power development program and inaugurated the first Pakistani atomic reactor, built in collaboration with Canada in Karachi, bringing Pakistan to the forefront of the new atomic age. On March 30, 59 military officers were arrested by army troops for allegedly plotting a coup against Bhutto, who appointed then-Brigadier Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq to head a military tribunal to investigate and try the suspects. Bhutto’s decision to appoint General Zia would later prove to dismantle his power. In 1973, a new form of the original 1956 Constitution was passed by the National Assembly for the Pakistani government, an “Islamic Republic,” establishing a parliamentary form. It is to date the country‘s most important document. Shortly thereafter Bhutto officially recognized Bangladesh. On August 10, a few weeks after the Constitution was passed, Bhutto turned over the post of president to Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, assuming the office of prime minister of Pakistan. Bhutto served as Prime Minister from 1973-1977. While in office as Prime Minister, Bhutto initiated Pakistan’s first steel mill at Pipri, near Karachi (the capital city of the Sindh province and also the largest city, main seaport, and financial capital of Pakistan). A few days later, in early 1974, Bhutto nationalized all banks. On February 22, 1974, Bhutto hosted the second Islamic Summit of Muslim nations in Lahore, capital of the Punjab province--the second largest city in Pakistan. Part of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Islamic Summit convenes every three years and is attended by the Kings and the Heads of State and Government of the member states. The Heads of State of most of the 38 Islamic countries attended the Summit, allowing for a greater number of people to be heard and concerns voiced. Form a historical standpoint, it may seem that Bhutto was making many helpful and necessary changes to the country and was, in fact, legitimately voted into office of Prime Minister. However, as time would tell, not all felt that Bhutto was making a positive impact on the new country.

**III. Fall from Power, Trial, and Execution** In 1976, during his reign as prime minister of Pakistan, Bhutto appointed Zia-Ul-Haq as his chief of army staff. This decision would eventually lead to Bhutto’s’ political downfall. Zia-Ul-Haq would eventually overthrow Bhutto’s’ government out of fear that Bhutto, being a popular politician in Pakistan, would eventually win the people over again, ending Zia-Ul-Haq's reign. Bhutto was reelected in 1977 but, was removed from office by General Zia-Ul-Haq shortly after. He was sentenced to death for killing his political opponent, Ahmed Raza Kasuri. His trial it still very controversial. It has been widely debated whether he was given a fair and honest trial. The Supreme Court suggested that Bhutto be sentenced to life in prison but Zia-Ul-Haq stuck by his original decision. Bhutto was executed by hanging in 1979 in Northern Pakistan. His body was flow to his home in Garhi Khuda Baksh, where he was buried in his family plot.

For information on Ayub Khan http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/18.htm For information on Bhutto http://www.storyofpakistan.com/person.asp?perid=P019 http://www.bh utto.org/ http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/20.htm For information on Bhutto's party, the P.P.P. http://www.ppp.org.pk/zab.html For information on Bhutto's trial and execution: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/4/newsid_2459000/2459507.stm [] [] []

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