Leader of Pakistan
By the time Bhutto had assumed the control of country, the nation was completely isolated, angered, and demoralized. As President, Bhutto addressed the nation via radio and television, saying "My dear countrymen, my dear friends, my dear students, labourers, peasants… those who fought for Pakistan… We are facing the worst crisis in our country's life, a deadly crisis. We have to pick up the pieces, very small pieces, but we will make a new Pakistan, a prosperous and progressive Pakistan." Bhutto placed General Yahya under house arrest, brokered a ceasefire and ordered the release of Sheikh Mujib, who was held prisoner by the Pakistan Army. To implement this, Bhutto reversed the verdict of Mujib's court trial that had taken place earlier, in which the presiding by the JAG Branch's military judge Brigadier-General Rahimuddin Khan (later 4-star General) had sentenced Mujib to death. Appointing a new cabinet, Bhutto appointed Lieutenant-General Gul Hasan as Chief of Army Staff. On 2 January 1972 Bhutto announced the nationalization of all major industries, including iron and steel, heavy engineering, heavy electricals, petrochemicals, cement and public utilities.[21] A new labour policy was announced increasing workers rights and the power of trade unions. Although he came from a feudal background himself, Bhutto announced reforms limiting land ownership and a government take-over of over a million acres (4,000 km²) to distribute to landless peasants. More than 2,000 civil servants were dismissed on charges of corruption.[21] Bhutto also dismissed the military chiefs on 3 March after they refused orders to suppress a major police strike in Punjab. He appointed General Tikka Khan as the new Chief of the Army Staff in March 1972 as he felt the General would not interfere in political matters and would concentrate on rehabilitating the Pakistan Army. Bhutto convened the National Assembly on 14 April, rescinded martial law on 21 April and charged the legislators with writing a new constitution.
Bhutto visited India to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and negotiated a formal peace agreement and the release of 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war. The two leaders signed the Shimla Agreement, which committed both nations to establish a new yet temporary Cease-fire Line in Kashmir and obligated them to resolve disputes peacefully through bilateral talks.[21][22] Bhutto also promised to hold a future summit for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute and pledged to recognise Bangladesh.[22] Although he secured the release of Pakistani soldiers held by India, Bhutto was criticised by many in Pakistan for allegedly making too many concessions to India. It is theorised that Bhutto feared his downfall if he could not secure the release of Pakistani soldiers and the return of territory occupied by Indian forces.[23] Bhutto established an atomic power development programme and inaugurated the first Pakistani atomic reactor, built in collaboration with Canada in Karachi on 28 November. On 30 March, 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. The National Assembly approved the new constitution, which Bhutto signed into effect on 12 April. The constitution proclaimed an "Islamic Republic" in Pakistan with a parliamentary form of government.[24] On 10 August, Bhutto turned over the post of president to Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, assuming the office of prime minister instead.[21]
Bhutto officially recognised Bangladesh in July. Making an official visit to Bangladesh, Bhutto was criticised in Pakistan for laying flowers at a memorial for Bangladeshi freedom fighters. Bhutto continued to develop closer relations with China as well as Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations. Bhutto hosted the Second Islamic Summit of Muslim nations in Lahore between 22 February and 24 February in 1974.
Bhutto, however, faced considerable pressure from Islamic religious leaders to declare the Ahmadiya communities as non-Muslims. Failing to restrain sectarian violence and rioting, Bhutto and the National Assembly amended the constitution to that effect. Bhutto intensified his nationalisation programme, extending government control over agricultural processing and consumer industries. Bhutto also, with advice from former Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Syed Mohammad Ahsan, inaugurated Port Qasim, designed to expand harbour and naval facilities near Karachi. However, the performance of the Pakistani economy declined amidst increasing bureaucracy and a decline in private sector confidence. Bhutto re-organized and re-established the Pakistan Armed Forces as he had promised to his nation to build a professional and well-trained military. Bhutto disbanded the ranks of Commander-in-Chief in the Pakistan Armed Forces as well as re-organized country's intelligence services. As part of this vision, Bhutto upgraded naval rank for Chief of Naval Staff, and appointed Admiral Mohammad Shariff as Navy's first 4-star admiral. Bhutto did the same for the Air Force, and appointed Zulfiqar Ali Khan as first 4-star general in the Air Force. In meantime, Bhutto also created the office of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the chairmanship of this post was given to 4-star General Muhammad Shariff. In a surprise move in 1976, Bhutto appointed General Zia-ul-Haq to replace General Tikka Khan as Chief of Army Staff, surpassing five generals senior to Zia.[25]
President of Pakistan
A Pakistan International Airlines flight was sent to fetch Bhutto from New York, who at that time was presenting Pakistan's case before the United Nations Security Council on the East Pakistan Crises. Bhutto returned home on 18 December 1971. On 20 December, he was taken to the President House in Rawalpindi where he took over two positions from Yahya Khan, one as President and the other as first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator, thus he was the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator of the dismembered Pakistan.
The new President inherited a disheartened war-weary nation. In this dark hour, he addressed the nation and promised to fight back. Bhutto's intentions to restore national confidence were in several shapes. He spoke about democracy, a new Constitution, and a modified federal and parliamentary system. He reached out to opposition leaders Abdul Wali Khan and Mufti Mahmud, signing an agreement regarding lifting the emergency and allowing opposition governments to be formed. He took steps to stabilise the situation by successfully negotiating the return of the 93,000 prisoners of war and a peaceful settlement with India. He took steps to ameliorate poverty and to revitalise the economy, industry and agriculture.
He gave the third Constitution to the country and established civilian authority over the armed forces in the political setup. In early 1972, Bhutto nationalised ten categories of major industries and withdrew Pakistan from the Commonwealth of Nations and S.E.A.T.O. On 1 March, he introduced extensive land reforms. On 2 July 1972, he signed the Simla Agreement with India for exchange of the occupied territories and release of Prisoners of War.
After the 1973 Constitution was promulgated, Bhutto was elected by the House to be the Prime Minister, and he was sworn in on 14 August 1973.
Father of the Nuclear weapons program
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Further information: [[:Project-706]] |
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Main article: Pakistan and its Nuclear Detterent Program |
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the founder of Pakistan's nuclear weapons research programme, and due to his administrative and aggressive leadership to lead this nuclear deterrence programme, Bhutto is often known as Father of Nuclear deterrence programme.[5][26] In October 1965, as Foreign Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto visited Vienna when Munir Ahmad Khan informed him of the status of Indian nuclear programme and the options Pakistan had to develop its own nuclear capability.[27] Both agreed on the need for Pakistan to develop a nuclear deterrent to meet India's nuclear capacity.[27] While, Munir Ahmad Khan had failed to convince Ayub Khan, Bhutto had said to Munir Ahmad Khan: Don't worry, our turn will come.[27]
After India's nuclear test — codename Pokhran-I — in May 1974, Bhutto sensed a great danger for Pakistan. In a press conference, held shortly after India's nuclear test, Bhutto said "even if we have to eat grass, we will make nuclear bomb". On 20 January, 1972, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto rallied a conference of nuclear scientists and engineers at Multan.[28] While at the Multan meeting, arranged by Bhutto's Science Advisor Abdus Salam, scientists were wondering why the President who had so much on his hands in those trying days was paying so much attention to the scientists and engineers in the nuclear field.[28] Bhutto said:" Look, we're going to have the bomb. He asked them: "Can you give it to me? And how long will it take it to make a bomb?".[28] The academic scientists replied: "Oh, yes, yes, You can have it."[28] There was a lively debate on the time needed to make the bomb, and finally one scientist dared to say that maybe it could be done in five years.[28] Prime Minister Bhutto smiled, lifted his hand, and dramatically thrust forward three fingers and said: "Three years, I want it in three years". The atmosphere suddenly became electric.[28] It was then that one of the junior scientist-dr. S.A.Butt (a theoretical physicist), who under Munir Ahmad Khan's guiding hand would come to play a major role in making the fission weapon possible — jumped to his feet and clamoured for his leader's attention.[28] Dr. S.A Butt replied: "It can be done in three years". Bhutto was very much amused and he said: "Well, much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, this is a very serious political decision, which Pakistan must make, and perhaps all Third World countries must make one day, because it is coming. So can you do it?" And the scientist replied, "Yes, we can do it, given the resources and given the facilities". Bhutto's answer was simple, "I shall find you the resources and I shall find you the facilities".[29] Despite Pakistan limited financial resources, Bhutto was so enthusiastic about Pakistan nuclear bomb, that he is reported to have said "Pakistanis will eat grass but make a nuclear bomb."[30]
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission's militarisation was initiated in January 20 of 1972 and, in its initial years, was implemented by Pakistan Army's Chief of Army Staff General Tikka Khan. The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP-I) was inaugurated by Bhutto during his role as President of Pakistan at the end of 1972. Long before, as Minister for Fuel, Power, and National Resources, he has played a key role in setting up of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. The nuclear weapons programme was set up loosely based on Manhattan Project of 1940s under the administrative control of Bhutto.[31] And, senior academic scientists had a direct access to Bhutto, who kept him informed about every inch of the development. Bhutto's Science Advisor, Abdus Salam's office was also sat up in Bhutto's Prime minister Secretariat.[31] On Bhutto's request, Salam had established and led the Theoretical Physics Group (TPG) that marked the beginning of the nuclear detterence programme. The TPG designed and developed the nuclear weapons as well as the entire programme.[31] Later, Munir Ahmad Khan had him personally approved the budget for the development of the programme.[31]
Wanting a capable administrator, Bhutto sought Lieutenant-General Rahimuddin Khan to chair the commission, which Rahimuddin declined, in 1971.[32] Instead, in January 1972, Bhutto chose a U.S. trained nuclear engineer Munir Ahmad Khan as chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) as Bhutto realized that he would wanted an administrator who understood the scientific and economical needs of this such technologically giant and ambitious programme. Since 1965, Khan had developed extremely close and trusted relationship with Bhutto, and even after his death, Benazir and Murtaza Bhutto were instructed by their father to keep in touch with Munir Ahmed Khan. In spring of 1976, Kahuta Research Facility, then known as Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL), as part of codename Project-706, was also established by Bhutto, and brought under nuclear scientist Khan and the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers' Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar.[31] As Bhutto was the main architect of Project-706, Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar Khan kept informed Bhutto about the progressed was made by dr. A.Q. Khan.[33]
Because Pakistan, under Bhutto, was not a signatory or party of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique (CEA), and British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) had immediately cancelled fuel reprocessing plant projects with PAEC. And, according to Kausar Niazi, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission officials had misled Bhutto and he sought on a long journey to try to get Nuclear fuel reprocessing plant from France.[34] It was on the advice of Khan that no fuel existed to reprocess and urged him Bhutto to follow his pursuit of uranium enrichment.[34] Bhutto tried to show he was still interested in that expensive route and was relieved when Kissinger persuaded the French to cancel the deal.[34] Bhutto had trusted Munir Ahmad Khan's plans to develop the programme ingeniously, and the mainstream goal of showing such interest in French reprocessing plant was to give time to PAEC scientists to gain expertise in building its own reprocessing plants. By the time France's CEA cancelled the project, the PAEC had acquired 95% of the detailed plans of the plant and materials.[33][35] And, Munir Ahmad Khan and Ishfaq Ahmad believed that since PAEC had acquired most of the detailed plans, work, plans, and materials; the PAEC, based on that 95% work, could build the plutonium reprocessing reactors on its own, Pakistan should stick to its original plan, the plutonium route.[33][35] Bhutto did not disagree but saw an advantage in establishing another parallel programme, the uranium enrichment under Abdul Qadeer Khan.[33]
By the time Bhutto was ousted, PAEC and KRL had built their uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing plants, and selection for test sites, at Chagai Hills, was done by the PAEC.[6] The feasibility reports were submitted by both organizations on their works.[6] In 1977, the PAEC's Theoretical Physics Group had finished the designing of the first fission weapon, and KRL scientists succeeded in electromagnetic isotope separation of Uranium fissile isotopes.[6] In spite of this, little had been done in the development of weapons, and Pakistan's nuclear weapons were actually made by General Zia-ul-Haq's military regime, under the watchful eyes of several Naval admirals, Army and Air Force's generals including Ghulam Ishaq Khan.[34] In 1983, Bhutto's decision later proved to be right, when PAEC had conducted a cold test, near Kirana Hills, evidently made from non-fissioned plutonium. It has been speculated recently in the press that Dr. Khan's uranium enrichment designs were used by the Chinese in exchange for (UF6) and some highly enriched weapons grade uranium.[34] Later on this weapons grade uranium was offered back to the Chinese as the Pakistanis used their own materials.[34]
Ordering military operation in Balochistan
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Main article: Baloch insurgency and Rahimuddin's stabilization |
Following the secession of East Pakistan, calls for the independence of Balochistan by Baloch nationalists grew. Surveying the political instability, Bhutto's central government sacked two provincial governments within six months, arrested the two chief ministers, two governors and forty-four MNAs and MPAs, obtained an order from the Supreme Court banning the National Awami Party on the recommendation of Akbar Bugti, and charged everyone with high treason to be tried by a specially constituted Hyderabad tribunal of handpicked judges.
In January 1973, Bhutto ordered the Pakistan Armed Forces to suppress a rising insurgency in the province of Balochistan and dismissed the governments in Balochistan and the North-West Frontier Province once more.[21] Following the alleged discovery of Iraqi arms in Islamabad in February 1973, Bhutto dissolved the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan. The operation, under General Tikka Khan, soon took shape in a five-year conflict with the Baloch separatists. The sporadic fighting between the insurgency and the army started in 1973 with the largest confrontation taking place in September 1974. Later on, Pakistan Navy, under Vice-Admiral Patrick Julius Simpson, also jumped in the conflict as it had applied naval blockades to Balochistan's port. The Navy began its separate operations to seized the shipments sent to aid Baloch separatists. Pakistan Air Force also launched air operations, and with the support of navy and army, the air force had pounded the mountainous hidden heavens of the Separatists. The Iranian military, also fearing a spread of the greater Baloch resistance in Iran, also aided the Pakistani military.[36] Among Iran's contribution were 30 Huey cobra attack helicopters and $200 million in aid.[37]
Prime Minister of Pakistan
After the promulgation of the 1973 Constitution, the elections for the President, Prime Minister, Chairman of Senate of Senate—the upper house of Pakistan Parliament— Speaker, and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly—the Lower house of Parliament of Pakistan—were to be undertaken.[38] The 1973 Constitution had adopted a federal parliamentary system for the country in which the President was only a figurehead and the administrative power lay with the Prime Minister.[38]
Bhutto was sworn in as the Prime Minister of the country on August 14, 1973, after he had secured 108 votes in a house of 146 members. Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry was elected as the President under the new Constitution.[38]
Constitutional reforms
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See also: 1973 constitution of pakistan |
During his period, six amendments were carried out in the 1973 Constitution.[39] The First Amendment led to Pakistan's recognition of and diplomatic ties with Bangladesh.[38] The Second Amendment in the constitution declared the Ahmadis as non-Muslims, and defined the term non-Muslim.[38][40] The rights of the detained were limited under the Third Amendment while the powers and jurisdiction of the courts for providing relief to political opponents were curtailed under the Fourth Amendment.[38] The Fifth Amendment passed on 15 September 1976, focused on curtailing the power and jurisdiction of the Judiciary.[38] This amendment was highly criticised by lawyers and political leaders.[38] The main provision of the Sixth Amendment extended the term of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and the High Courts beyond the age of retirement.[38] This Amendment was made in the Constitution to favour the then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who was supposed to be a friend of Bhutto.[38]
Domestic reforms
The Bhutto Government carried out a number of reforms in the industrial sector. His reforms were twofold; nationalisation, and the improvement of workers' rights.[41] In the first phase, basic industries like steel, chemical and cement were nationalised. This was done in 1972.[41] The next major step in nationalisation took place on 1 January 1974, when Bhutto nationalised all banks.[41]The last step in the series was the most shocking; it was the nationalisation of all flour, rice and cotton mills throughout the country.[41] This nationalisation process was not as successful as Bhutto expected.[41] Most of the nationalised units were small businesses that could not be described as industrial units, hence making no sense for the step that was taken.[41] Consequently, a considerable number of small businessmen and traders were ruined, displaced or rendered unemployed. In the concluding analysis, nationalisation caused colossal loss not only to the national treasury but also to the people of Pakistan.[41]
Land reforms
During his period as the Prime Minister, a number of land reforms were also introduced.[41] The important land reforms included the reduction of land ceilings and introducing the security of tenancy to tenant farmers.[41] The land ceiling was fixed to 150 acres (0.61 km2) of irrigated land and 300 acres (1.2 km2) of non-irrigated land. Another step that Bhutto took was to democratise Pakistan's Civil Service.[41]
Economic policy
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Main article: Economy of Pakistan |
Bhutto introduced socialist economics policies while working to prevent any further division of the country.[42] Major heavy mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineering industries were immediately nationalized by Bhutto, and all of the industries came under direct control of government.[42] Industries, such as KESC were under complete government control with no private influence in industry's major decision.[42] Bhutto abandoned Auyb Khan's Capitalist policies, and introduced communist and social reform influence economical policies with under more government influence.[42] Bhutto also established the Port Qasim and Pakistan Steel Mills, as a part of country's road to industrialization program.[42] However, the declined of growth of economy was still continued despite the initiated was undertaken by Bhutto's government to boost the country's economy.[42] On its effect on Pakistan's society, the absolute poverty was sharply reduced, with the percentage of the population estimated to be living in absolute poverty falling from 46.50% by the end of 1979-80, under the General Zia-ul-Haq's military rule, to 30.78%.[42][43] The land reform programme provided increased support to landless tenants, and development spending was substantially, particularly on health and education, in both rural and urban areas, and provided ‘material support’ to rural wage workers, landless peasants, and urban wage workers.[42][44]
Foreign Policy
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Main article: Foreign policy of Pakistan |
After assuming power, Bhutto sought to developed close and strengthened the Arab relations, and Sino-Pak relations.[45] Bhutto in believed an independent Foreign Policy which had hitherto been the hand maiden of the Western Power, particularly independent from the United State's sphere of influence.[46] With Bhutto as Foreign minister, and Prime minister, Pakistan and Iran had cemented a special relationship, as Iran had provided military assistance to Pakistan.[46] The Sino-Pak relations were immensely improved, and Pakistan, under Bhutto, had built a strategic relationship with People's Republic of China, when PRC was isolated.[45] In 1974, Bhutto hosted the second Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1974 where he delegated and invited leaders from the Muslim world to Lahore, Punjab Province of Pakistan.[3] Bhutto sought a peace agreement—Simla Agreement— with Indira Gandhi, Premier of India, and brought back 93,000 P.O.Ws to Pakistan and secured 5,000 sq mi held by India.[3] In 1974, pressured by other Muslim nations, Pakistan eventually recognised Bangladesh as Mujib stated he would only go to the OIC conference in Lahore if Pakistan recognised Bangladesh.[47] In 1976, Pakistan established full diplomatic relations with Bangladesh on January 18, 1976 and relations improved in the following decades.[46]
However, Pakistan's relationship with United States severed as United States was opposing Pakistan's nuclear detterrence programme.[45] In 1974, with India carried out the test of nuclear test near the Pakistan's eastern border, codename Smiling Buddha, Bhutto sought United States to impose economic sanctions in India.[48] Though it was unsuccessful approach, with an advise from Bhutto, Pakistan's Ambassador to United States convened a meeting with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Kissingers told Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington that the test is “a fait accompli and that Pakistan would have to learn to live with it,” although he was aware this is a “little rough” on the Pakistanis.[48] In 1976, the ties were further severed with Bhutto as Bhutto had continued to administer the research on weapons, and in 1976, in a meeting with Bhutto and Kissinger, Kissinger had told to Bhutto, "that if you [Bhutto] do not cancel, modify or postpone the Reprocessing Plant Agreement, we will make a horrible example from you".[49] The meeting was ended by Bhutto as he had replied: For my country’s sake, for the sake of people of Pakistan, I did not succumb to that black-mailing and threats.[49]
Bhutto sough Pakistan's foreign policy towards more onto Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, and sought to developed relations with both Soviet Union and the United States. Bhutto was keenly aware of Great Britain’s policy of “Divide and Rule”, and American’s policy of “Unite and Rule”.[45] Bhutto later sought to developed and alleviated the Soviet-Pak Relations, with Soviet Union established Pakistan Steel Mills in 1972.[50] The foundation stone for this gigantic project was laid on 30th of December, 1973 by the then Prime minister Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Facing inexperience for the erection work of the integrated steel mill, Bhutto requested Soviet Union to send its experts.[50] Soviet Union sends dozens of advisors and experts, under Russian scientist Mikhail Koltokof, who supervised the construction of this integrated Steel Mills, with a number of industrial and consortium companies financing this mega-project.[50]
Popular unrest and military coup
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Main article: Hyderabad tribunal |
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Further information: Federal Security Force |
Bhutto began facing considerable criticism and increasing unpopularity as his term progressed.[51] Initially targeting leader of the opposition Abdul Wali Khan and his opposition National Awami Party (NAP), a socialist party. Despite the ideological similarity of the two parties the clash of egos both inside and outside the National Assembly became increasingly fierce and started with the Federal government's decision to oust the NAP provincial government in Balochistan for alleged secessionist activities[52] and culminating in the banning of the party and arrest of much of its leadership after the death of Hayat Khan Sherpao, a close lieutenant of Bhutto, in a bomb blast in Peshawar, the capital of the then North-West Frontier Province, now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Dissidence also increased within the PPP and the murder of dissident leader Ahmed Raza Kasuri's father led to public outrage and intra-party hostility as Bhutto was accused of masterminding the crime. Powerful PPP leaders such as Ghulam Mustafa Khar openly condemned Bhutto and called for protests against his regime. The political crisis in the North-West Frontier Province and Balochistan intensified as civil liberties remained suspended and an estimated 100,000 troops deployed there were accused of human rights abuses and killing large numbers of civilians.[21]
On 8 January of 1977, many opposition political parties grouped to form the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA).[21] It was a 9 party alliance against government of Bhutto and his colleagues. Bhutto called fresh elections and the PNA participated in those elections with full force and managed to contest the elections jointly even though they had grave differences in their opinions and views. The PNA faced defeat but did not accept the results, accusing their opponents of rigging the election. They first claimed rigging on 14 seats and finally on 40 seats in the national assembly and boycotted provisional elections turn out in national elections was of highest degree. Provincial elections were held amidst low voter turnout and an opposition boycott, violent PNA declare the newly-elected Bhutto government as illegitimate. Hard-line Islamist leaders such as Maulana Maududi called for the overthrow of Bhutto's regime.[51] Mubashir Hassan, Science Advisor of Bhutto, feared a possible coup against Bhutto.[53] Therefore, Hassan jumped in the conflict and attempted made a unsuccessful attempt to reach a agreement with PNA. The hard-line Islamist refused to meet with Hassan as they saw him as a main brain behind Bhutto's success. Intensifying political and civil disorder prompted Bhutto to hold talks with PNA leaders, which culminated in an agreement for the dissolution of the assemblies and fresh elections under a form of government of national unity.[54] However on 5 July 1977 Bhutto and members of his cabinet were arrested by troops under the order of General Zia.[21] It is generally believed that the coup took place on the pretext of unrest despite Bhutto having reached an agreement with the opposition.
General Zia announced that martial law had been imposed, the constitution suspended and all assemblies dissolved and promised elections within ninety days. Zia also ordered the arrest of senior PPP and PNA leaders but promised elections in October. Bhutto was released on 29 July and was received by a large crowd of supporters in his hometown of Larkana. He immediately began touring across Pakistan, delivering speeches to very large crowds and planning his political comeback. Bhutto was arrested again on 3 September before being released on bail on 13 September. Fearing yet another arrest, Bhutto named his wife, Nusrat, president of the Pakistan People's Party. Bhutto was imprisoned on 16 September and a large number of PPP leaders and activists arrested and disqualified from contesting in elections.
Trial of the Prime Minister
Bhutto's trial began on 24 October on charges of "conspiracy to murder" of Ahmed Raza Kasuri.[55] On 5 July 1977 the military, led by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, staged a coup. Zia relieved prime minister Bhutto of power, holding him in detention for a month. Zia pledged that new elections would be held in 90 days. He kept postponing the elections and publicly retorted during successive press conferences that if the elections were held in the presence of Bhutto his party would not return to power again.[56]
Upon his release, Bhutto travelled the country amid adulatory crowds of PPP supporters. He used to take the train travelling from the south to the north and on the way, would address public meetings at different stations. Several of these trains were late, some by days, in reaching their respective destinations and as a result Bhutto was banned from travelling by train. The last visit he made to the city of Multan in the province of Punjab marked the turning point in Bhutto's political career and ultimately, his life. In spite of the administration's efforts to block the gathering, the crowd was so large that it became disorderly, providing an opportunity for the administration to declare that Bhutto had been taken into custody because the people were against him and it had become necessary to protect him from the masses for his own safety.
Re-opening of Bhutto Trial
The Governing party, PPP has filed a reference on 2 April 2011, to reopen Bhutto's trial. The move was initiated by the Federal Cabinet and backed by the Provincial Government of Punjab led by Chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.[60] President Asif Ali Zardari consented to this presidential reference Article 186 of the Constitution to Supreme Court of Pakistan. The Supreme Court will take up the reference on 13 April 2011. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry is presiding the three-judge-bench, though it may be expanded with law experts from four provinces of Pakistan, and Babar Awan, Federal minister for Law, is counseling Bhutto's case.[61] Babar Awan has resigned from his ministry post in order to legally counsel the ZAB's case, while Chief Justice Chaudhry praised and appreciated the move by the senior PPP leader and remarked the gesture as "historic".[62] In a crucial advancement, Supreme Court of Pakistan has ordered to form Larger Bench to hear the case which would be responsible to decided the status of Bhutto's execution.[63]
