Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)

Notes of Early Ministries (1947-58) in Pakistan

“Constitutional Development in Pakistan”

1947 When Pakistan came into being a “Constituent Assembly” (A constituent assembly or constitutional assembly is an assembly of elected
representatives composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting the constitution.) was set up that had a dual responsibility i.e. to manage the
Government/State affairs and to frame a new constitution of Pakistan. This first “Constituent Assembly” consisted of Muslim
League members who had won 1945-46 election before partition under the British rule.
It was also decided at the start that until new constitution is formed, Pakistan would be ruled under the Indian Independence Act
which was an amended version of the Govt. of Indian Act 1935 and governor general would have the control over the entire field of
Govt. activity, but under the supervision of the cabinet.
In the starting years of Pakistan, the office of the governor general gained much more importance (than it was desired):

Q: Why was Governor General’s office considered more important than PM office during early years of Pakistan?
*It was initially held by Quaid-E-Azam who was the most popular leader in all parts of Pakistan. *Pakistan lacked well
organized political party so all major decision making had to be done by Governor General *P.M L.A.K. (Liaqat Ali Khan) had no
stable majority in the legislature (i.e. Constituent Assembly) so people looked more towards Quaid-e-Azam (the Governor General).
* Legacy of Governor General’s office being very important since the time of the British India.

After the early death of Jinnah “Khawaja Nazimuddin” (who was a senior leader of Muslim League and previously Chief Minister of East Pakistan)
was chosen as new governor general of Pakistan. During Khawaja Nazimddin’s time (as governor general), the office of governor
general become less important (as compared to PM house) as Khawaja Nazimuudin himself had stood back allowing Liaqat Ali Khan
(P.M) to run the country as he had quickly realized that L.A.K had the more confidence of govt. administrators and people of
Pakistan as they looked up to him more because he was a close associate and a the most trusted companion of Quaid-E-Azam.
One of the first tasks which Liaqat Ali Khan had to address was framing a constitution which could satisfy the demands of different
groups (Bengalis, Ulemas, Minorities, Migrants, Provincial Leaders) within Pakistan. So, a “Basic Principles Committee” was set up in 1949
to decide (after consultation with different groups) the basic principles on which the new constitution of Pak. should be based.
When BPC (Basic Principle Committee) started working on constitution there were many rumors, concerns and doubts in the minds
of people of Pakistan about the nature of the constitution that is going to be framed for a country that has been created /achieved in
the name of Islam.
On seeing the sensitivity and concerns of people about the issue (of framing the constitution), Liaqat Ali Khan advised/recommended the
assembly to pass an “Objective Resolution” to lay down the parameters (basic guidelines) of the future constitution of Pakistan. So, on
the advice of PM (Liaqat Ali Khan) the constituent assembly passed the Objective Resolution in March 1949 and PM L.A.K. described

Q: What was Objectives Resolution?

It was a resolution passed in the constituent assembly on the advice of PM Liaqat Ali Khan in 1949. It was the first constitutional
document which laid the principles of future constitution. It contained values of Islamic as well as Western political system. It contained
the principles which the first BPC had unanimously agreed upon.
Q: Describe the silent features of objective resolution. [4]
Pakistani constitutions to follow these principles/objectives: *principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance, social justice
as laid down by Islam. *Muslims to be able to live according to Islamic principles. *Minorities to be protected and be
given freedom to practice their religion freely. *provide all fundamental human rights. *Legal system to be independent of
government/executive.
Q: Why was objectives resolution passed in 1949? [7]
*To lay down the basic structure and to set the directions/ parameters for the future constitution of Pakistan.
*To counter rumors against the work of BPC (there was debate of constitution to be Secular or Islamic)
*To address the concerns of minorities (as they were unclear about their future status in Pakistan).

it as “the most important occasion in life of country, next in importance to the achievement of independence”.
Passage of objective resolution from Constituent Assembly gave a hope that a new constitution would soon be agreed by all (but it did not happen so
and it took many years to complete it owing to many factors/reasons/problems).
1st Report of BPC: In September 1950, a draft of proposals (i.e. 1st report of BPC) based on the objective resolution was put forward
by the basic principles committee. A bicameral legislature (a law making body that consist of two houses upper & lower was proposed with equal
powers of each house). It was also proposed that the president was to be elected by the joint session and suggested that Urdu would be
the official language of Pakistan.

Q: What was Basic Principles Committee?

The basic principle committee was set by PM Liaqat Ali Khan in 1949. It had 25 members. Its sole purpose was to determine the basic
principles of the future constitution in Pakistan. It presented its reports after doing consultations with people of every walk of life. Its first two
reports faced a lot of criticism and were rejected causing delay in framing the first constitution of Pakistan.
Q: Why was the 1st report of BPC opposed/criticized? [7]
*Bengalis resented it– on issue of language: Urdu-Bengali conflict+ and the issue of less representation in govt. and assembly
*Provincial leaders - objected on powers being given to head of state and federal/central Govt. and they demanded more provincial autonomy.
*Ulemas complained about it– stating it is not sufficiently Islamic.
 Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)
Due to heavy criticism on 1st report of BPC, PM L.A.K withheld the 1st report of BPC and its proposals and he asked for further
consideration and discussion to develop national consensus/agreement. But, untimely death/assassination of L.A.K caused further
delay in making of new constitution as Jinnah & L.A.K were the only leaders that enjoyed full respect and support in all parts of
country and it was very difficult for other weak leaders to develop consensus/agreement on constitutional disputes.

Q: What was PARODA? [4]

It was an act/law introduced by Liaqat Ali Khan in 1949. It stands for Public and Representative Officers Disqualification Act.
Introduction of this law was actually an attempt to control corruption and mismanagement in the politicians and the government affair but
unfortunately it was misused by the governor generals and became a tool in the hand of governor generals to dismiss their opponents at their
will whether they were guilty or not. It became very unpopular and in 1954 PRODA was denounced/criticised as incompatible with
democratic politics and was hence repealed, but not before it had claimed a few well-known victims.
Q: Describe Liaqat-Nehru Pact? [4]
This is also knows as Delhi Pact or Minorities Pact. It was first peace treaty signed in Delhi in 1950 between Pakistani PM Liaqat Ali Khan
and Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru which helped to improve relations between two countries after 1948 Kashmir war. This pact was signed to
protect the rights of the minorities on both sides of the border. According to pact this looted properties of the refugees were agreed to be
returned and forced conversions were also unrecognized. Furthermore visa system was also introduced to regulate the movement of people
across the border.
Q: What was Rawalpindi Conspiracy or Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case? [4]
Some army officers (including Chief of General Staff Maj-General Akbar Khan) and some left wing politicians met at Rawalpindi in March 1951 to plan a
coup against PM Liaqat Ali Khan. They didn’t agree with many policies of L.A.K and considered him corrupt so wanted to change his govt.
This conspiracy was discovered by Ayun Khan and the conspirators were arrested.
Q: Why was Rawalpindi Conspiracy planned against Liaqat Ali Khan?
First, a general discontent of Army's Pakistani Officers with the performance of the Liaqat Ali Khan's Government, whom they thought of as
corrupt and incompetent.
Second, many of the high ranking Pakistani Generals viewed the continuing presence of British Army Officers in the army as a security threat
as well as an impediment/obstacle to their speedy promotions (although sir Douglas Gracy, the first C-n-C of Pakistan, had retired in January 1951 but still some
British officers were present on important ranks in Pak army).
Third, the most immediate cause was their discontent with Liaqat regime's handling of the Kashmir war with India (1948). Army officers
thought Government's acceptance of UN mediation and ceasefire, as a 'tame surrender' and 'flouting an opportunity to capture whole of
Kashmir'. It is to be noted that several Pakistan Army officers who had fought the Kashmir war, were ethnic Kashmiris and owned land in the
contested province.
Fourth, Maj. General Akbar Khan (who was the master mind behind the Rawalpindi Conspiracy) had communist leanings (which explains why he enlisted the
support of communist/leftists intellectuals of Pakistan. e.g. Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Syed Sajjad Zaheer {Secretary General of Pakistan Communist Party}) and wanted to develop
good relations with USSR whereas Liaqat Ali Khan was following pro-USA policy. Whether USSR was actively involved in this conspiracy
is not supported by any evidence. Note:This conspiracy had no connection with Pakistan's joining SEATO or CENTO, as both these
international bodies came into being much later (in 1954 and 1955, respectively).

After the assassination of L.A.K, Khawaja Nazimuddin stepped down as Governor General and became Prime Minister (as during the
time of L.A.K after Quaid’s death PM office had gained more importance) and Ghulam Muhammad (previously Finance Minister) became Governor
General of Pakistan.
After two years’ further consideration by BPC (AS first report of BPC was withdrawn by L.A.K due to criticism/objections) 2nd report (Also known
as Revised report of BPC) was presented in assembly in December 1952 by PM Kh. Nazimuddin and this report was also
unpopular.

Q: Who was Ghulam Muhammad? [4] *ex-Finance Minister of Pak. *became 3rd gov. gen. of Pak in 1951 *introduced 6 years and then 5years plans *caused constitutional
crisis in 1954-55 *forced to resign in 1955
Q: Describe six year plan for Pakistan launched by Ghulam Muhammad in 1951? [4]
These were the economic and development plans introduced by Ghulam Mohamed in 1951. These plans were part of a series of economic measures taken to
increase industrialization and improve economy of Pakistan and were to be reviewed after every 6 years. These were later replaced by 5 years plans. Pakistan
inspired it from Soviet Union. Although, due to political instability, these plans could not be followed properly and failed to produce the required results but
still were important in boosting the economy.
Q: Describe the importance of six or five years plan? [4]
*brought economic and infrastructural development *Jute processing plant in E.Pak in 1952 *exploration of oil and natural gas *social uplift schemes
Q: Describe the social and economic problems faced by Pakistan during the governor generalship of Gh. Muhammad? [4]
*Severe drought hit Pak between 1951-53, resulted in food shortages. *Food shortages lead to rioting. No plan to deal with these shortages, this became a
reason for dismissal of Kh. Nazimuddin by Ghulam Muhammad. *End of Korean War - led to decline in export of Jute and cotton causing economic
problems. *Anti-Ahmadi Movement by ulmas in 1952 onwards. *Violent protests by Bangali students in 1952 due police action on State language day
celebrations by Bengalis.

Due to so much criticism on 2nd report of BPC, Kh. Nazimuddi said they would undergo further discussion and withdrew this
draft/report.
 Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)
2nd report of BPC also faced a lot of criticism from: *Liberals/Modernist (They objected on inclustion of Ulema Board to the legislation (making of
laws)), they thought it a surrender to fundamentalist/extremist Mullahs), *Bengalis (They felt Under represented +language issue) *Minorities (they were uncomfortable
on condition of being Muslim for the Head of state)

Then there was again seen some political instability and uncertainty in Pakistan (due to: dismissal of Kh.Nazimuddin, portests in Bangal due to
police action on State Language day Celebrations , Constitutional crisis 1954/55, Anti-Ahmadi or anti-Qadyani Movement etc: keep in mind our first foreign minister
that mean there would be further delay in formation of 1 st constitution of Pakistan.
Zafrullah Khan was also Qadyani)
After the dismissal of Kh. Nazimuddin, M. Ali Bogra (ex-acting ambassador to USA) was appointed the new PM of Pakistan in 1953 who
belonged to East Pakistan. Bogra initially focused to boost Pakistan’s economy and solve the problem of food shortages by gaining
as much foreign aid from USA and some other countries.
Once the economy was made somewhat stable and issue of food shortages resolved Bogra turned towards constitutional and
administrative matters and his first political target was to reduce the power of governor general given by PRODA (as it made prime
ministers defenseless/helpless against the governor general because governor general by using powers of PRODA could dismiss PM any time like Ghulam
Muhammad did with Kh. Nazimuddin). But Ghulam Muhammad wanted to maintain the power and strong position of the governor
general’s office (because he had no confidence and faith in the politicians). M. Ali Bogra supported an amendment passed in the constitutional
assembly in 1954 to limit the powers of governor general which Gh. Muhammad resented. So, this political situation/rift coupled
with some other social and economic problems of Pakistan meant that there would be a crisis that would result in further delay in
framing the 1st constitution of Pakistan.
Q: Describe the achievement of M. Ali Bogra as PM of Pakistan. [4]
*repealed the disputed act known as PRODA *managed foreign aid to boost economy *convinced Canada, Australia to send Pak millions of tons of wheat to
calm fears of famine that had sparked the riots *set up Planning Board to produce a 5 year plan *helped Pak be part of CENTO that helped Pak get a lot of
Western aid for economy and military.

Constitutional crisis: When the constituent assembly was trying to limit the powers of governor general, Ghulam Muhammad
expected Bogra to support his authority but Bogra decided to support the new constitutional amendment which made PM more
important. This situation brought PM and Governor General into conflict. Bogra with the support of constitutional assembly, tried to
curb the power of the “Governor General”, and in September 1954 the constituent assembly unanimously agreed to an important
amendment (change in interim constitution) to effectively limit the power of governor general. While this amendment was being passed
Ghulam Muhammad was out of country. This amendment caused political and constitutional crisis in the country as Ghulam
Muhammad was not ready to accept this decision of constituent assembly in which his powers were reduced and PRODA was
repealed (abolished) as this PRODA was main tool in the hand of governor general to keep a tight grip on state affairs.

Q: Describe the main features of the law/amendment passed by the Constituent Assembly in 1954 under the advice of PM Bogra. [4]
*all minister including PM must be members of the assembly-this law restricted Governor General’s power to appoint anyone as PM at his will. *the decision
about cabinet to be approved by the assembly which reduced influence/role of the governor general in decision making of the govt. *Governor General had to
take (act on) the advice of his minister/cabinet *this weakened the powers of the Governor General and increased the powers of the constituent assembly
according to the spirit of parliamentary democracy.

Ghulam Muhammad was not a man to sit aside peacefully. He shortened his foreign tour, came back and held meeting with
important people including C-n-C (Ayub Khan) and made his preparations to strike back with full force and waited for the
opportunity to come.
On October 1954, just after few weeks of the disputed constitutional amendment M.Ali Bogra went out on a foreign tour and
Ghulam Muhammad took the advantages of Bogra’s absence and dissolved the constituent assembly by declaring the state of
emergency. He justified his actions on the ground that the previous assembly had lost the confidence of people. Press censorship
was imposed so that his opposition’s view can’t reach the public. He also promised to hold new elections to decide the main issues
and reconstituted a cabinet (cabinet means the committee of senior ministers responsible for controlling government affairs) to administer the
country until the elections were held. Ghulam Muhammad re-appointed Bogra as PM but selected 5 such member in the cabinet
who were not the members of assembly and one of them was sitting army chief (Ayub Khan), who was made defence minister. This
kind of cabinet made Prime Minister’s position very weak and also this act of Gh. Muhammad formally involved military into
administrative and political affair of the country which didn’t prove a good thing in the long run for Pakistan’s democracy.
The speaker of dissolved constituent assembly, Maulvi Tameezuddin Khan, challenged Ghlam Muhammad’s decision (of dissolving
assembly and declaring state of emergency) in Sindh High Court. In Feb 1955 Sindh High Court gave decision in favor of speaker and
declared Ghulam Muhammad’s action of dissolving assembly illegal.
Ghulam Muhammad didn’t accept Sindh High Court’s decision and appealed to the Federal Court where Justice Munir declared on
10th May 1955 that the Governor General had the legal power to dismiss the assembly “if the situation demanded it”, thus giving
birth to the “Law Of Necessity” in Pakistan and Justice Munir’s decision kept haunting the political system of Pakistan as it later on
gave excuse/justification to all the military dictators/chiefs to impose martial law one after the other and became a bad omen for the
future political life of Pakistan. Following the dissolution of assembly by Ghulam Muhammad, Pakistan experienced an eight-
month long period of non-democratic Govt. referred as “Constitutional Crisis”.
 Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)
In June 1955, Parliamentary Govt. (in which an assembly takes a charge of Govt. matters) was restored in Pakistan and elections were held for
a new (2nd) constituent assembly which met for the first time in July 1955. In August 1955, Ghulam Muhammad (was forced to)
resigned due to illness and was replaced by Major General Iskinder Mirza (as 4th Governor General of Pakistan) who was one of those 5
members of cabinet selected by Ghulam Muhammad. Iskinder Mirza after assuming the power dismissed M.Ali Bogra as PM in
1955 and again made him ambassador to the USA (where he had come from on Ghulam Muhammad’s call to be PM). Ch. M.Ali (the ex-finance
minister) was appointed new PM and Mirza insisted Ch. M. Ali hard to quickly develop national consensus/agreement to draw up
Pakistan’s constitution that had already been delayed very much.

Q: Describe the Constitutional crisis 1954/55. [4]

Q: Why was there Constitutional crisis in 1954/55? [7]
(identify its reasons from the whole episode of the tussle of power between PM and Governor General) *Attempt of the constituent assembly and Bogra to limit powers of Gevernor General *Ghulam Muhammahd,
the Gov. Gen. Strikes back *Maulvi Tameezuddin Case *eight months without a proper govt. All these event led a crisis known as Constitutional Crisis.
Q: What was Bogra Formula (1953)? [4]
When Muhammad Ali Bogra became the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the main task ahead of him was to achieve an agreement on a workable constitution for the
country. He worked hard on this project and within six months of assuming power, came out with a constitutional formula. He presented the formula to the
Constituent Assembly on 7th October 1953 and it is known as the Bogra formula.
Main Features of Bogra Formula: The major features of the formula were: The federal legislature would comprise of two houses – Both Houses were to have
equal powers in all matters. The House of People was to have a total number of three hundred members, to be divided among the five units. (East Bengal 165 members
and remaining from West wing. It maintained the principle of parity between East and West Pakistan in combined Houses, with 175 seats for each zone. In place of the
Board of Ulama, the Supreme Court was given the power to decide if a law was in accordance with the basic teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah.
Analysis:This proposal was received with great enthusiasm however, there were some points of criticism as well. The issue of equal powers to both Houses
attracted a lot of criticism and some people maintained that since the lower house represented the people it should have more power. But generally this proposal
was accepted although the parliament was divided on the response to the formula. Another significant measure during this period which facilitated the problem of
constitution making was the settlement of the language issue. In 1954 the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan decided that the Bengali and Urdu would be the
national languages of Pakistan. This decision facilitated the constitution making process. Unlike the two reports of the Basic Principles Committee, the Bogra
Formula was appreciated by different sections of the society. There was great enthusiasm amongst the masses as they considered it to be a plan that could bridge
the gulf between the two wings of Pakistan and would act as a source of unity for the country. The proposal was discussed in the Constituent Assembly for 13
days, and a committee was set to draft the constitution on 14th November 1953. However, before the constitution could be finalized, the Assembly was dissolved
by Ghulam Muhammad, the then Governor General of Pakistan.

One Unit Scheme (1955):

This scheme was proposed by PM Bogra in 1954 but it was implemented by Iskinder Mirza when he passed an order in 1955 to
unify (merge) four provinces and 10 princely states of western wing as West Pakistan. This scheme received mix response (both
positive + negative reaction was seen on this scheme) but it was quite helpful in framing the 1 st constitution of Pakistan as it helped the

Q: Why was one unit scheme introduced? [7]

*More unity, less provincial prejudice, rivalries, differences. *It made it easy to agree on new constitution by allowing the principle of parity to be established
between two wings of Pakistan. *Greater efficiency and cost effectiveness in governance, rapid development can take place due to unity of command.

parties/people of both the wings (East & West Pakistan) to reach an agreement on the principle of parity (equality in seats for both the wings of
Pakistan) introduced in the 1956 constitution.
Although, the decision of One Unit Scheme was not popular in many parts of the country so it led to unrest in different parts of both
the wings of the country. Despite criticism this scheme was important as it provided some grounds to develop an agreement on our
constitution and gave some momentum to the process of framing the 1st constitution of Pak and PM Ch. M. Ali was able to present

Q: what was the principle of parity? [4]

Hints: *means equality. *300 seats of the National Assembly equally divided between two wings in 1956 constitution. *Initially faced resistance but later
on accepted by large.
Q: Why was one unit scheme opposed? [7]
*Bengalis opposed it as they thought that although this scheme gave East Pakistanis equality in the assembly not they believed they deserved majority in the
assembly as they make more than 50% of Pakistan’s total population (10 million more population in E. Pak. than in W.Pak.)
*Provincial leaders and political parties of Wast Pakistan were also unhappy on loss of power/seats under thus scheme. In Sindh situation became very
violent and tense due to protests against this scheme. *Loss of provincial identity wasn’t welcomed as ethnicity (being Sindhi, Punjabi etc) has deep roots in
society and politics of Pak (Hint: Social problems discussed in early problem).
Q: What was United Front? [4]
Hints: Coalition of different parties from East Pak that contested elections against Muslim League in 1954 and won and formed Provincial Govt. there.
They demanded - - - - - -.
Q: Why was there so much delay in framing 1st constitution of Pakistan? [7]
*Demands of Bengalis and provincial leaders were not being met so they objected every move to frame the constitution. *Ulema’s objections also created
problems to develop a consensus. *Lack of strong leadership and political instability in Pakistan due to misuse of power by the governor general didn’t
allow the timely establishment of constitution. *Early problems didn’t help the cause as it was difficult for the PM to focus on this academic kind
of issue due to business in many early problems faced by Pakistan.
Q: Describe the main features of 1956 constitution. [4]
According to the 1956constitution Pakistan was declared ‘Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ and president had the most of powers as he could choose prime
minister and had emergency powers too. Then came the power the prime minister who could choose the cabinet. The cabinet could advise president only.
The national assembly had 300 members, 150 from West Pakistan and 150 from East Pakistan according to the principle of parity. Both Urdu and Bengali
were made the national languages of Pakistan.
 Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)
the draft of Pakistan’s new constitution in February 1956 which was officially adopted on 23 rd March 1956 (this date was chosen to
coincide with the anniversary of the Pakistan resolution 1940) only after United front (an alliance of East Pakistan’s main political parties) dropped its
objections on the principle of parity and no longer demanded full provincial autonomy.
Musical chair game of Pakistani prime ministers during the period 1956-1958?
After 1st constitution was passed, it was hoped/expected that there would be more political and economic stability in Pakistan but it
didn’t happen so, and in the span of next two years (1956-1958) only, four Prime Minister were changed (either dismissed or forced to resign)
by Iskinder Mirza who had then become the 1st President of Pakistan (as the post of Governor General had been replaced by President in 1956
Constitution).
Although Iskinder Mirza tried to modernize the country by introducing different social and developmental projects but he is mainly
known for his decisions to change too many prime ministers causing great political instability that ultimately led to the imposition
of 1st martial law in 1958.

Q: What measures did Iskinder Mirza take to modernize the country? [4]
He started a government program for industrialization and rural development. He also completed the construction of Karachi airport. Railway system was made
modern by replacing steam engines to diseal engines. The telephone system was expanded. Mirza publicized government provision in health and education
services.

Ch. Muhammad Ali who was chosen PM by Iskinder Mirza after the dismissal of Bogra, but M. Ali could not prove his ability as a
strong politician to handle the complex political and economic situation of the country and soon lost the confidence of Iskandar
Mirza as well and bad to resign in September 1956 and Mirza replaced him with H. S. Suharwardy. Suharwardy was East Pakistan’s
strong and experienced politician and Mirza had chosen him with a hope that it would appease /please Bengalis and Suharwardy
would help him to win the support of people of Pakistan especially people from East Pakistan.
When Suharwardy came into power, he demanded full decision making authority and was not ready to work as a puppet prime
minister whereas Mirza wanted to have his tight control over the government matter as he (like his predecessor Ghulam Muhammad) had no
confidence and faith in politicians and believed in controlled democracy. This resulted in a dispute over authority between PM
Suharwardy and president Mirza and consequently Suharwardy was dismissed in October 1957. Suharwardy being a smart
politician had advised Mirza to put his (Suharwardy's) popularity to test by holding a vote of confidence in assembly instead of
dismissing him but Mirza refused to do so as he knew that Suharwardy would win this battle /vote in assembly.
Then Iskinder Mirza appointed another politician, I.I. Chandigarh, as PM from East Pakistan to replace Suharwardy. His govt. was a
collection of politicians with differing views which could not even agree on major issues, such as the one unit scheme. He failed to
manage things well and soon (within two months of his becoming PM) faced no- confidence motion and, hence, was forced to resign in
December 1957. (this was the shortest terms as PM by any PM in Pak)
Feroz khan Noon (a Punjabi politician) was the next choice of Mirza as PM. Like pervious prime ministers, he was also not free to make
his decision and was forced to appoint a large cabinet (that had 26 members out of 80 members in the assembly) with a view that this large
cabinet would bring all shades of opinion into the govt. and would create unity. But it did not happen so as it is said: “too many
cooks spoil the broth”. Now, president Mirza found himself in a very difficult position/situation and his rule was also becoming
increasingly unpopular. The1956 constitution had been introduced with a promise of election within one year (i.e. elections were due to
be held in 1957) but Mirza dare not call these elections as he knew he (and his supported party) would lose elections badly and his rule
would end. So, instead of going for elections, he proclaimed/declared martial law in Oct 1958 (using the constant disagreement in
government as his excuse and said this disagreement was hurting Pakistan badly socially, politically and economically).
As Iskinder Mirza had lost the support of many of the leading politicians and was alarmed by a plan by Suharwardy (ex-PM) to unite
the main political leadership of Bengal and Punjab against him. Therefore, Iskinder Mirza turned to military for support, announced
himself president under the martial law and made C-n-c Ayub khan chief martial law administrator which clearly meant that now
army was effectively running the govt. A few weeks later Iskinder Mirza appointed Ayub khan as prime Minister.
*Ayub khan soon realized that country cannot be run with two parallel authorities (One exercised by Iskider Mirza and other by Ayub Khan) so
forced Mirza to resign and exiled (sent him) him to London and Pakistan began its first period of military rule under Ayub Khan.

Q: Why martial law in 1956 in Pakistan? Or Why did Ayub Khan come into Power? (7)
*Political (and Economic) instability (4 PMs changed within a span of two years and this political instability was not good for economy) * Iskinder Mirza feared going in
elections (as he could see clear defeat due to loss his popularity and Suharwardy’s plan of uniting all parties against him alarmed him further so Mirza ran away from elections and
turned towards military for help by declaring M. Law.) *Failure of 1956 Constitution (e.g. one unit scheme created great dissatisfaction among
the East Pakistanis who now lost their right to demand extra weightage in assemblies) *Failure of founding party Muslim Leage (to maintain its unifying role
in Pakistani politics which created space for new parties to emerge and this led the country to more confusion than conherence so some uniting force was required so army was the
only proper functioning organization as failure of bureaucracy, political parties and government made army the only possible organization to save the country in times of peril such as
the one Pakistan was facing at that time so M. Law was imposed giving command of the country to army.)
 Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)

Past Papers Questions of Early Ministries and Early Problems

Q ‘The government of Pakistan was totally successful in solving the problems of Partition during 1947 and 1948.’ Do you agree? Explain your answer. [14] (J
2012/P1/4c)
Q How successful was the government of Pakistan in solving the problems of Partition during 1947 and 1948? Explain your answer. [14] (N 2013/P1/4c]
Q How successful was Quaid-e-Azam in establishing the new Pakistan in 1947? Explain your answer. [10] (Specimen paper 2015/P1/1d]

Mark Scheme:
Successes: Quaid-e-Azam Relief Fund created to help refugees. He appealed to the people to help the refugees, He toured the provinces encouraging and motivating
the people. Declared himself ‘ProtectorGeneral’ of religious minorities, State Bank of Pakistan set up, Karachi made capital of Pakistan, Civil Services re-organised,
Joined United Nations and attempted to draw their attention to Kashmir problem.

Failures: Kashmir and other Princely States issues not resolved, Canal Water Dispute not resolved until 1959, Millions made homeless or died as a result of
partition, Only 200 million rupees received at first instead of 750 million under the final settlement, There was a shortage of properly qualified and experienced
personnel, Much of the military assets awarded were obsolete or out of order.

Q Why was the division of the armed forces and military assets a problem for Pakistan in 1947? [7](N2003/P1/4b)

In part (b) candidates had to explain why the division of the armed forces and military assets were a problem. Most candidates found some difficulty with this
question and struggled to achieve half marks. As a result, these candidates were not as successful in gaining many marks compared to earlier part (b) questions.

Q Why was Pakistan faced with a refugee problem in 1947? [7] (N2006/P1/4b)

Q ‘The formation of a government was the most important problem facing the newly established country of Pakistan in 1947.’ Do you agree? Give reasons for
your answer. [14] (N2009/P1/4c)

Mark Scheme: Explains at least two factors including the formation of a government. It was essential following the creation of Pakistan to have a new government
immediately. However there was a shortage of properly qualified and experienced personnel which made the task of running a government department extremely
difficult. Pakistan had been awarded 750 million rupees under the final settlement but only received 200 million at first. This put enormous strain on the new
government since they were unable to use the money appropriately. It was also the case with the division of the armed forces and military assets. Much of the
assets awarded were obsolete or out of order. However there were other difficulties such as the problem of coping with the Muslim refugees from India. These
refugees had been submitted to terrible atrocities and so thousands fled to Pakistan. They needed food and shelter and placed great strain on the new government.
The Canal Water Dispute was one of the most serious problems since India now controlled the water supply to Pakistan which brought tensions to a head between
the two countries as Pakistan had to depend on India for its water supply. The problem dragged on until 1959. The accession of the Princely States and especially
Kashmir was a problem. The population of Kashmir was largely Muslim and wanted to join Pakistan whereas the ruler was Hindu and wanted to join India. The
border was uncertain between India and Pakistan with respect to Kashmir and this inevitably caused problems. (9–13) Q What was the Canal Water Dispute? [4]
(J2010/P1/4)

Examiner’s comments: The answers highlighted the clear need of Centers and Candidates to focus on explanation rather than description to score well.

Q Why did many Pakistanis migrate between 1947 and 1999? [7] (J 2012/P1/4b)

Mark Scheme: Britain needed lots of workers after World War Two, especially unskilled workers and offered well paid jobs which Pakistanis wanted as they were
reliable, hard working and ambitious to succeed. Many Pakistanis were displaced after partition in 1947 and as a result moved to Britain. Thousands of Pakistanis
were displaced from the Mangla Dam area in the 1960s and some used compensation money to move to Britain to join relatives and seek work. The
Commonwealth Immigration Act of 1962 introduced a voucher scheme which gave Pakistanis in Britain the opportunity to arrange jobs and vouchers for friends and
family to move here. Many Pakistanis went to work in the Middle East where jobs were becoming freely available during times of economic growth especially in the
construction and service industries.

Examiner’s Remarks: In part (b), candidates had to explain why many Pakistanis migrated after 1947. Most made the single point about migration from India to
Pakistan and a small number of candidates commented on the Commonwealth Immigration Act. The impression was that there was a lack of knowledge of this
topic beyond the 1940s and as a result very few candidates scored more than partial credit.

Q Why was Pakistan faced with a refugee problem in 1947? [7] (J2013/P1/4b]

Mark Scheme: During 1947, violence between Hindus and Muslims increased dramatically. Muslims fearful of being killed were forced to leave all their
possessions and cross into Pakistan to seek shelter. The Boundary Award had made the problems worse between the two. Since Pakistan had become
independent so Muslims were leaving India for their homeland, often with little or no possessions. It was argued that India deliberately made difficulties for the
new Pakistani government by forcing Muslims across the border. Hindus and Sikhs, perhaps fearful of reprisals and a genuine desire to live in a Hindu nation
also contributed to the refugee problem by crossing from Pakistan to India.
Examiner’s Report: This was well answered in the main with many candidates accessing Level 3 with a number of explained reasons. There were a number of
candidates who missed the point of the question and described the problem, so scoring few marks.
Q Why was it so difficult to agree on a new Constitution in 1950? [7] (N2011/P1/4b)

Mark Scheme: East Pakistan disagreed with the draft proposals in 1950 because it felt that its people were under-represented, especially given its large population,
and it wanted representation equal to each of West Pakistan’s provinces. It also objected to Urdu being the main language, given its use of Bengali. There was
opposition from local and provincial politicians, as they had no input under the proposals of approving of the power of the head of state and central government.
Religious groups also objected, as the new constitution wouldn’t put enough emphasis on Islam, and they argued that Pakistan should be governed on Islamic
principles.
Q Describe the constitutional crisis of 1954–55. [4] (J 2012/P1/4a)
Mark Scheme: Reward each correct statement with 1 mark. 2 marks can be awarded for a developed statement. Candidates might refer to: Bogra the PM had little
political experience, and GG Ghulam Mohammad expected him to support his authority – do as he was told. Bogra wanted to curb power of GG. GM out of country
so Bogra introduced an amendment to 1935 GoI Act, trying to take away some power. Caused a political crisis, GM declared state of emergency and dissolved
Assembly. Legal challenges were made against GG who eventually won through.
 Notes of Early Ministries of Pakistan by Jawad Bajwa BASE Academy Multan (03006389430)
Q Who of the following contributed the most to Pakistan’s domestic policies between 1948 and 1958:

(i) Liaquat Ali Khan; (ii) Malik Ghulam Muhammad; (iii) Iskander Mirza?

Explain your answer with reference to all three of the above. [14] (J 2013/P1/4c]

Mark Scheme: Explains the contribution of at least two statesmen. All 3 for max marks [9–13]

Liaquat Ali Khan made the first move towards constitutional development with his Objectives Resolution in 1949. This focussed on the principles of Islam and human
rights. It was designed to deflect criticism from religious leaders who said the new state was not Islamic enough. This was then followed by the drafting of a
constitution, which attracted much criticism as it was seen by many as being insufficiently Islamic. He also managed to keep the economy going and produced
surplus budgets for the new state. Malik Ghulam Muhammad as Governor General was responsible for the 6 Year Plan for Pakistan that covered agriculture, power,
industry and transport. It played an important part in bringing about economic development in Pakistan. However there were severe problems in Pakistan that
hampered development at this time such as food shortages and a drought. Rioting followed and the government found difficulty in dealing with these matters and
resulted in many changes in personnel. Little constitutional development could take place because of these problems. Malik Ghulam Muhammad resigned in 1955
due to ill health. Iskander Mirza became Governor General and introduced the new Constitution in 1956, under which he was able to become President. However its
introduction was short lived as he scrapped it in 1958 and declared Martial Law. He did introduce the One Unit policy in 1955 which he claimed would bring about
greater efficiency and development in West Pakistan. In introducing this policy he prevented East Pakistan gaining a majority in the Assembly. His rule became
increasingly unpopular and lost the support of many leading politicians despite declaring Martial Law and having appointed Ayub Khan as PM in 1958, he was
forced to resign by Ayub Khan. LEVEL 5: As Level 4 – also produces a judgement or evaluation.

Q Describe the 1956 Constitution? [4] (N 2013/P1/4a]

Q Why were there so many governments between 1951 and 1958? [4] (N 2014/P1/4b)

Mark Scheme: Jinnah had died in 1948 and Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in 1951. The country was struggling to establish itself without these two experienced
figures. The problems of running a new country were very difficult to overcome and India had not been forthcoming in sharing out the joint assets. The problems
associated with managing the Kashmir issue and relations with India over it were very difficult with no agreement on its future. The formation of East Pakistan
brought with it problems relating to the capital being located in West Pakistan, and the refusal to have Bengali as the main language was a source of discontent
and conflict. Together with a plethora of assassinations of leading figures, inexperienced politicians were having great difficulty running the country, and as a result
there was a lack of stability in governing and this led to many different governments being formed during these years.

Q How successful was Pakistan in establishing a new constitution between 1947 and 1973? Explain your answer. [14] (N 2015/P1/4c]

Mark Scheme:

Successes: The first attempt to set up a constitution came in 1949 with the Objectives Resolution which tried to pave the way towards a new constitution. It
attempted to set out a plan to enshrine Islamic principles in an eventual constitution. In 1952 a revised Basic Principles Committee presented a report which made
firm steps towards an Islamic constitution by stating that the Head of State should be Muslim and that he would appoint a committee of Islamic specialists to
ensure that all legislation conformed to Islamic law In 1956 the long awaited constitution emerged with the important declaration that Pakistan was to be an
Islamic Republic and that Urdu and Bengali would be the official languages, which was an attempt to placate the people of East Pakistan. In 1959 Basic
Democracies were introduced by Ayub Khan which was a 4-tier structure of government, allowing elections at various levels. The success of these councils which
were set up was such that martial law was lifted in 1962 after a new constitution was introduced. The 1973 Constitution revived the power of the National
Assembly and as a result political parties became more important.

Failures: The Objectives Resolution of 1949 was criticised especially by East Pakistan who resented the fact that Urdu, not Bengali was to be the official language
despite the much larger population. It also resented the idea of equal representation in the National Assembly, again due to the size of its population. The death of
Liaquat Ali Khan meant that constitutional change had to wait until a new leader could be found and had time to settle in The Basic Principles Committee’s report
was criticised because the official language issue was still not settled and East Pakistan was determined to oppose the selection of Urdu. Political uncertainties and
change meant that further discussions towards establishing a new constitution were put on hold for a few years until 1956. The 1956 constitution was heavily
criticised since it didn’t solve the political problems of Pakistan. The constitution promised a parliamentary system of government but whilst the President held the
power to intervene or even suspend the Assembly. East Pakistan was very unhappy at not having a majority in the Assembly that it believed its vast population
deserved. The 1962 constitution increased the powers of the ruling elite which happened because the major landlords dominated the elections to the Basic
Democracies and often used force or bribery to influence the results .The constitution also upset the people of East Pakistan as they felt they were going to have
little part in the governing of Pakistan and that the power was held by the military and civil officials of West Pakistan.

Q To what extent did Pakistan achieve a new constitution between 1949 and 1973? Explain your answer. [14](N 2019/5c)

Q Why was there a constitutional crisis between 1954 and 1955? [7] (N 2016/4b)

Mark Scheme: Jinnah had died in 1948 and Khan Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in 1951. • The country was struggling to establish itself without these two
figures. • The problems of running a new country were very difficult to overcome and joint assets had not been shared. • There was a lack of stability which led to
many different governments being formed during these years. • In 1953 Nazimuddin’s government was dismissed and replaced with Bogra who lacked experience.
• An example was in the passing of the amendment to Government of India Act in 1954 while Ghulam Muhammad was abroad to limit his powers causing a crisis.
When he returned he dissolved the Assembly and declared a state of emergency stating that Bogra had lost the confidence of the people. • This was challenged in
court but Ghulam Muhammad prevailed. • The One Unit Policy was also unpopular, causing unrest.

Q Explain why there was a constitutional crisis in 1958. [7] (J 2018/5b)

Mark Scheme: Level 3: Explains reasons 5–7 (Five marks for one explanation, six marks for two explanations, seven marks for three explanations)

e.g. • There were a number of Prime Ministers between 1956 and 1958 and it reached a stage where Ayub Khan felt the army should take control until

stability had been restored. • Previous governments endured a number of problems that hampered development such as food shortages and a drought, which led
to demonstrations of discontent. As successive governments found difficulty in dealing with these matters, there were many personnel changes to try to find a
solution. As a result, little constitutional development could take place. • Iskander Mirza lost the support of many of the leading politicians and was alarmed at a
plan by Prime Minister Suhrawardy (Best of luck)