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Bhutto first ended the state of war with India, ensuring solidarity and integrity in West Pakistan.
PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was born on January 5, 1928, and served as president from 1971 to 1973 and prime minister from 1973 to 1977. Pakistan’s history is incomplete without discussing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who played an important role in picking up the pieces in rebuilding Pakistan when it was dismembered in 1971. The morale of the nation was very low because of the defeat at the hands of India. Later, the PPP formed the government at the Centre and in Sindh and the Punjab. The first job of the new government was to restore confidence of the people.
Bhutto first ended the state of war with India, ensuring solidarity and integrity in West Pakistan. It is a fact that late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wanted to destroy the remaining Pakistan after the 1971 war. However, Bhutto foiled the evil designs of Indira Gandhi by forcing her to vacate the occupied land, captured in the 1971 war. Bhutto’s second bold step was paving way for bringing back over 93,000 prisoners of war. The POWs returned home with honour and Bhutto signed Simla Agreement with India. After this he concentrated on rebuilding the national economy and framing a constitution. On the economic front, he made progress at the diplomatic level and won friendship of Shah of Iran, King of Saudi Arabia, and Colonel Gaddafi of Libya. He procured financial assistance from Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Libya and saved the economy from being collapsed. Another plus point is that there was no charge of financial corruption against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Bhutto was handed over the country after breakaway of East Pakistan and in that situation he gave country the gift of the 1973 constitution. Initially, he concentrated on constitution-making and sought help from Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo of NAP (Now ANP) for giving provincial autonomy a proper shape in the Constitution. Later, he relied on religious parties and included Islamic clauses in the constitution. In addition to this, Bhutto organised all Muslim world leaders and arranged Islamic Summit in 1974 in Lahore. With his foresight Bhutto saw through the Indian plans a constant threat to the security of Pakistan. Wars fought with India after independence convinced him that with the existing disparity between the armed forces of the two countries, which is bound to increase further with the passage of time, Pakistan is not likely to withstand the aggressive onslaught of India in a conventional war. Therefore, keeping in view this fact he gave the gift of nuclear programme to the nation.
Bhutto introduced economic reforms and nationalised major industries, banks, insurance companies, and schools and colleges. He enacted tax relief for the agricultural workers and fixed ceilings on land ownership. However, during the elections in March 1977, nine opposition parties, united at the platform of the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA), launched a movement against Bhutto. When the PPP claimed victory in the polls, the PNA accused PPP of rigging the elections. Widespread street fighting broke out, and opposition politicians were arrested. Later the situation deteriorated to the level that on July 5 General Zia staged a coup. Zia relieved Bhutto of power, detained him for a month. In September Bhutto was re-arrested on charges of murder of a political opponent in 1974. During the proceedings of the case Bhutto denied the allegations, but the Lahore High Court awarded him death sentence. The Supreme Court also upheld the judgment and despite international pressure, Bhutto was hanged in April 1979.
