Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Era and General Zia-ul-Haq Era (1971-1988)

Bhutto Era (1971-1977)

• After East Pakistan separation, General Yahya Khan handed over power to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (PPP) on December $20, 1971$; Bhutto began rebuilding Pakistan.

• Martial law lifted on $April 21, 1972$; Interim Constitution (1972) established; a 25-member Constitutional Committee drafted the constitution.

• Industrial Reforms

  • Objective: improve working conditions and industrial environment; ensure workers' representation in management.

  • Share of profits increased; bonuses; compensation for injury/death; mandatory health facilities; group insurance and social security.

  • Nationalization: major industrial units, banks, insurance companies, and educational institutions were nationalized; State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan established.

• Agricultural Reforms (announced $March 1, 1972$)

  • Ownership limits reduced to $150$ acres ( canal-irrigated ) and $300$ acres (rain-fed);

  • Land ownership redefined; land exceeding limits became state property; eviction of tenants banned; land from feudal landlords distributed to landless farmers.

• Educational Reforms (1972 onwards)

  • Private educational institutions nationalized; salaries equalized with government teachers; affordable transport for students via discounts; scholarships increased.

  • All universities expanded; Allama Iqbal Open University established in $1974$ (People's Open University); adult education centers introduced; teacher training established.

• Health Reforms

  • Basic health centers established; health budget increased; new medical colleges.

• Economic Reforms

  • Nationalization and labour-friendly policies; PPP manifesto-based reforms to revive the economy.

• Social Reforms

  • Five (5) Marla Housing Scheme for homeless; millions of unemployed sent to the Middle East; women protection measures; Public Works Programme for rural development; electricity to hundreds of villages.

• Commonwealth

  • Do you know? The Commonwealth is a group of countries once ruled by the United Kingdom; established in $1926$; members include Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

• Constitutional Reforms

  • Unified 1973 Constitution; Amendments during this period:

  • First Amendment ( $1974$ ): borders of four provinces defined; FATA made part of Pakistan.

  • Second Amendment ( $1974$ ): false claimant of prophethood not a Muslim.

  • Third Amendment ( $1975$ ): anyone harming Pakistan’s integrity declared enemy.

  • Fourth Amendment ( $1975$ ): six seats for minorities increased in the National Assembly.

  • Fifth Amendment ( $1976$ ): no member can simultaneously hold National Assembly seat and provincial governor post.

  • Sixth Amendment ( $1976$ ): tenure/retirement age of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and High Courts fixed.

  • Seventh Amendment ( $1977$ ): PM can advise the President to hold a referendum on national matters.

• Administrative Reforms

  • 1972: Bhutto visited Afghanistan, China, and Russia to build ties; signed Simla Agreement with India; released prisoners of the 1971 war.

  • 1974: Lahore hosted a meeting of the OIC; Kashmir Day on 5 February; national identity card system introduced to ensure clear identity for all citizens.

Zia-ul-Haq Era (1977-1988)

• 1977 elections and aftermath

  • PPP won the elections, but Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) protested rigging; martial law imposed; all political parties banned; Bhutto arrested.

  • Bhutto sentenced to death in the Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan murder case.

  • Muhammad Khan Junejo became Prime Minister in $1985$ through non-party elections; he opposed Zia’s expanding powers and was dismissed on May $29, 1988$, with assemblies dissolved.

• Governance shift under Zia

  • Reversed Bhutto’s nationalization; many state-owned industries returned to private ownership; emphasis on private sector growth; exports increased.

• Agricultural Reforms

  • Ushr tax imposed on agricultural production: $10 ext{ extpercent}$ in rain-fed areas and $5 ext{ extpercent}$ in canal-irrigated areas.

• Educational Reforms

  • Islamiat and Pakistan Studies made compulsory up to graduation; steps to establish a women’s university; Islamic Ideology Council reconstituted; promotion of Islamic values in media; efforts to publish an error-free Quran; adult education programs; literacy initiatives.

• Health Reforms

  • Rural health centers established; female health workers (lady health workers) deployed; broader medical access.

• Economic Reforms

  • Zakat system implemented at the government level since $1980$; introduction of an interest-free banking model; accounts opened for Muslim account holders with a profit-and-loss sharing basis; initial rate around $2.5\%$ per annum.

• Islamicization and constitutional changes

  • The Objectives Resolution became part of the 1973 Constitution; Sharia Courts established; replacement of un-Islamic laws with Islamic laws; enforcement of Islamic punishments (Hadood) for certain crimes; presidential orders to promote Namaz (prayer).

• Constitutional Reforms (Amendments during Zia era)

  • Eighth Amendment ( $1985$ ): president elected by an electoral college comprising both houses of parliament and four provincial assemblies; president gained extraordinary powers; Senate term extended to $6$ years.

  • Ninth Amendment ( $1985$ ): Islamic injunctions from the Qur'an and Sunnah became the source of the highest law.

  • Tenth Amendment ( $1987$ ): minimum of $130$ working days for the National Assembly and the Senate.

• Administrative Reforms and foreign policy

  • 1979: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; large Afghan refugee influx; hundreds of refugee camps in Pakistan; strengthened Pak–Afghan relations; active participation in Islamic Summit and unity of the Muslim Ummah.

  • Pakistan’s global stance improved through alignment with Islamic and democratic states; domestic policy focused on Islamization and stability.

Bhutto Era (1971-1977)

• Following East Pakistan's separation, General Yahya Khan handed power to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (PPP) on December $20, 1971$; Bhutto initiated Pakistan's rebuilding efforts.

• Martial law was lifted on $April 21, 1972$. The Interim Constitution (1972) was established, and a 25-member Constitutional Committee drafted the constitution.

• Industrial Reforms

  • Objective: Improve working conditions and industrial environment; ensure workers' representation in management.

  • Share of profits increased; bonuses; compensation for injury/death; mandatory health facilities; group insurance and social security.

• Nationalization: Major industrial units, banks, insurance companies, and educational institutions were nationalized; State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan established.

• Agricultural Reforms (announced $March 1, 1972$)

  • Ownership limits reduced to $150$ acres (canal-irrigated) and $300$ acres (rain-fed).

  • Land ownership redefined; land exceeding limits became state property.

  • Eviction of tenants banned; land from feudal landlords distributed to landless farmers.

• Educational Reforms (1972 onwards)

  • Private educational institutions nationalized; salaries equalized with government teachers.

  • Affordable transport for students via discounts; scholarships increased.

  • All universities expanded; Allama Iqbal Open University established in $1974$ (People's Open University).

  • Adult education centers introduced; teacher training established.

• Health Reforms

  • Basic health centers established; health budget increased; new medical colleges.

• Economic Reforms

  • Nationalization and labour-friendly policies; PPP manifesto-based reforms to revive the economy.

• Social Reforms

  • Five (5) Marla Housing Scheme for homeless.

  • Millions of unemployed sent to the Middle East.

  • Women protection measures.

  • Public Works Programme for rural development.

  • Electricity supplied to hundreds of villages.

• Commonwealth

  • Definition: A group of countries once ruled by the United Kingdom.

  • Established: $1926$.

  • Members: Includes Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

• Constitutional Reforms

  • Unified 1973 Constitution.

  • Amendments during this period:

  • First Amendment ($1974$): Borders of four provinces defined; FATA made part of Pakistan.

  • Second Amendment ($1974$): False claimant of prophethood not considered a Muslim.

  • Third Amendment ($1975$): Anyone harming Pakistan’s integrity declared an enemy.

  • Fourth Amendment ($1975$): Six seats for minorities increased in the National Assembly.

  • Fifth Amendment ($1976$): No member can simultaneously hold National Assembly seat and provincial governor post.

  • Sixth Amendment ($1976$): Tenure/retirement age of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and High Courts fixed.

  • Seventh Amendment ($1977$): PM can advise the President to hold a referendum on national matters.

• Administrative Reforms

  • 1972: Bhutto visited Afghanistan, China, and Russia to build ties; signed Simla Agreement with India; released prisoners of the 1971 war.

  • 1974: Lahore hosted a meeting of the OIC; Kashmir Day on 5 February; national identity card system introduced to ensure clear identity for all citizens.

Zia-ul-Haq Era (1977-1988)

• 1977 elections and aftermath

  • PPP won the elections, but Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) protested rigging.

  • Martial law imposed; all political parties banned; Bhutto arrested.

  • Bhutto sentenced to death in the Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan murder case.

  • Muhammad Khan Junejo became Prime Minister in $1985$ through non-party elections.

  • Muhammad Khan Junejo opposed Zia’s expanding powers and was dismissed on May $29, 1988$, with assemblies dissolved.

• Governance shift under Zia

  • Reversed Bhutto’s nationalization; many state-owned industries returned to private ownership.

  • Emphasis on private sector growth; exports increased.

• Agricultural Reforms

  • Ushr tax imposed on agricultural production: $10\%$ in rain-fed areas and $5\%$ in canal-irrigated areas.

• Educational Reforms

  • Islamiat and Pakistan Studies made compulsory up to graduation.

  • Steps to establish a women’s university.

  • Islamic Ideology Council reconstituted; promotion of Islamic values in media.

  • Efforts to publish an error-free Quran; adult education programs; literacy initiatives.

• Health Reforms

  • Rural health centers established; female health workers (lady health workers) deployed; broader medical access.

• Economic Reforms

  • Zakat system implemented at the government level since $1980$.

  • Introduction of an interest-free banking model.

  • Accounts opened for Muslim account holders with a profit-and-loss sharing basis; initial rate around $2.5\%$ per annum.

• Islamicization and constitutional changes

  • The Objectives Resolution became part of the 1973 Constitution.

  • Sharia Courts established; replacement of un-Islamic laws with Islamic laws.

  • Enforcement of Islamic punishments (Hadood) for certain crimes; presidential orders to promote Namaz (prayer).

• Constitutional Reforms (Amendments during Zia era)

  • Eighth Amendment ($1985$): President elected by an electoral college comprising both houses of parliament and four provincial assemblies; president gained extraordinary powers; Senate term extended to $6$ years.

  • Ninth Amendment ($1985$): Islamic injunctions from the Qur'an and Sunnah became the source of the highest law.

  • Tenth Amendment ($1987$): Minimum of $130$ working days for the National Assembly and the Senate.

• Administrative Reforms and foreign policy

  • 1979: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; large Afghan refugee influx; hundreds of refugee camps in Pakistan.

  • Strengthened Pak–Afghan relations; active participation in Islamic Summit and unity of the