1970 Election and The

Aftermath
Background of 1970 elections
• For the first time were held in 1970 elections after the independent in
1947.
• 26 March 1969 Ayub Khan succumbed to political pressure and handed
over to the General Yahya khan.
• On 31 March 1970 Yahya khan announced for direct election ‘one man,
One vote’.
• The voters were called upon to elect members of a National Assembly by
direct vote.
• The principal of representation was made on the basis of populations &
East Pakistan got more than half seats in the National Assembly.
• The election were planned 5 October 19170 but actully were held 7
december 1970 & 17 January 1971.
1970-The historical general election
• Twenty-four political parties prepared to land in the election arena of
1970, held under Gen Yahya Khan’s martial law.
• Every party had its programmed but two parties — the Awami
League and the Pakistan People’s Party — were being eyed by the
electorate as the winners.
Announcement of campaign
• On January 4, 1970, on his 42nd birthday Zulfikar Ali Bhutto launched
his election campaign by addressing a public meeting at Nishtar Park,
Karachi.
• In East Pakistan Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, through his emotional and
livid speeches, spoke about the injustices meted out to Bengalis since
the inception of Pakistan and told them that the only solution lay in
his six-point programmed
Aftermath of the election
• On December 17, 1970 Mujib said that no one could stop the creation
of Bangladesh. Bhutto readily replied that no constitution could be
framed, nor government run at the center, without his party’s
cooperation.
• To find a solution Yahya visited Karachi on December 28.
• Yahya Khan sent congratulatory messages to both the party leaders,
but addressed Mujib as the future prime minister.
• A tormenting situation arose for Yahya. While Mujib sat in Dhaka
discussing the future government’s priorities, Yahya saw himself in an
awkward situation. He had pledged that the constitution would be
prepared within 120 days.