Political Developments

1947-58
POLITICAL HISTORY OF
PAKISTAN (1947-58)

 This decade is considered to be highly

effected by Post Independence Problems.
 AGENDA
 Events of 1947 (PM,Gov.Gen. ,Post Independence Problems ,Jinnah-
Batten Talks)
 Events of 1948 (Kashmir Crisis ,Quaid’s tragic Death ,Gov.Gen.
Conversion)
 Events of 1949 (Objectives Resolution, Basic Principles Committee)
 Events of 1950 (Liaquat-Nehru Pact)
 Events of 1951 (PM Conversion ,Gov.Gen. Conversion)
 Events of 1953 ( Bogra’s Era)
 Events of 1955 (PM Conversion ,Gov.Gen. Conversion ,One Unit
Formation)
 Events of 1956 (1st Constitution , PM Conversion ,Presidency)
 Events of 1957 (Dual Conversion of PM)
 Events of 1958 (Ouster of Sikandar Mirza ,Martial Law under Ayub
Khan)
 1947
 Liaquat Ali khan (1st PM 1947-1951)
Natural Choice as contributions to the struggle
for independence were numerous)
 Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1st Gov. Gen. 1947-48)
 Post Independence Problems
(clothing shelter and feeding of Refugees, Indus
Water ,transactions of personnel, stationery, food,
industry, Treasure and war weapons
distribution ,Accession of Princely States).
 Jinnah - Mountbatten Talks (Nov1,1947)
(3.5 hours duration, about Kashmir Issue, ended
with no result).
 1948
 Kashmir Crisis
Full-scale war ensued between India & Pak
for Accession ,Matter went to Security council,
Solution came out to b a Plebiscite and
demarcation of ceasefire line, remained existed
since 1949.
Pak: Poonch, West Kashmir, Jammu, Lakadh ,
Ind: Kashmir valley, Jammu, Remaining Ladakh
 Jinnah passed away
(got TB, by the end Cancer too, 11sept, 1948
,buried in Karachi).
  Khwaja Nazimuddin (2nd Gov. Gen.1948-51).
1949
 Objectives Resolution is passed (Mar12,1949)
 Objectives :
 Sovereignty belongs to Allah
 Chosen representatives shall exercise power,
 Muslims pass lives as per Islam’s teachings,
 Assurance of democracy freedom equality

tolerance & justice,

 shall be a federation,
 Availability of basic rights,
 Independent judiciary,
 Freedom to minorities.
Basic Principles Committee
(Mar 12, 1949)
 Nazimuddin, 2nd PM
 comprised of 24 members, to determine

basic principles of future constitution of

Pakistan,
 created bitterness btw East & West Pak,
 resulted in a deadlock towards the formation

of constitution)
LIAQUAT-NEHRU PACT
Apr 8, 1950.
 Between both the PM’s of India & Pakistan.
 Aims:
 1. to elevate communal peace.
 2. to elevate fears of minorities.
 3. to create atmosphere in which both

countries can resolve differences.

Considered to be an optimistic
beginning of healthy relations formation
between India & Pakistan.
1951
 Khawaja Nazimuddin becomes Prime Minister
(after assassination of Liaquat on 16 october,
1951.
 remained in power 1951-53.
 Downfall causes:
 1.power struggle of that time,
 2. meekness of character.
 Ghulam Muhammad becomes 3rd Governor
General (to change the status quo of executive
powers, he dismissed Nazimuddin in Apr 17,
1953.
Causes of dismissal of the
Nazimuddin ministry
 Pakistan’s higher bureaucracy was dominated
by non-Bengalis. The bureaucracy disliked the
Nazimuddin ministry right from the beginning
and considered Nazimuddin a weak
administrator, who was incapable of achieving
the political, administrative, and constitutional
tasks that the country faced.
 However, the immediate cause of the dismissal
of the Nazimuddin ministry was the Anti-
Ahmadiya riots and food shortages which
created difficulties for Nazimuddin Government.
During 1950-52
 During 1950-52 due to a lack of proper rainfall and then
because of flood the crops were badly damaged in Punjab and
Sindh.
 Moreover, the prospect of land reforms influenced wheat
production so this food shortage was created by the landlords
who had turned hostile due to the modest reforms made by
the Doultana government in favor of agriculture tenants.
 With this background, when Nazimuddin showed an inability
to declare Ahmadis non-Muslim the ulama restored to direct
action.
 Five volunteers carrying play cards with demands marched to
the residence of the Prime Minister and the situation
worsened when Mumtaz Doltana, who was the Chief Minister
of Punjab endorsed the demands and appealed to the center
for their acceptance.
Martial Law in Lahore
 Martial Law was imposed in Lahore to maintain the law and
order situation by Ayub Khan who was Commander in Chief
of the army, to control the disorder that had followed the
direct action.
 Mumtaz Doltana not only retraced his earlier statement but
also vacated the office of Chief Minister for Firoz Khan
Noon.
 After a few days, the Punjab assembly passed the budget
and the situation worsened for Nazimuddin, due to slashing
of the defense budget by one-third in light of stringent
financial conditions.
 This situation created annoyance between the military
leaders for the Nizamuddin Government. However,
Nazimuuddin still enjoyed the confidence of the constituent
assembly and could defeat his opponents in the assembly.
After the creation of Pakistan and creation of Rabwah

 After the creation of Pakistan, some Ahmadis

with the Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood
Ahmad came to Pakistan and constructed their
own city which they considered a promised land.
 1953 Anti-Ahmadiyya riots
 A massive persecution was launched by anti-
Ahmadiyya groups to persecute the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Community by Islamists including
Jamaat-e-Islami. The Government of Pakistan
put down the unrest. The Ahrar sect was
banned shortly after.
 1953
  Muhammad Ali Bogra becomes Prime
Minister (after Nazimuddin. He worked hard
for settling Kashmir issue.
 Dismissed by Sikandar Mirza on Aug8,1955.
 Tenure (1953-55) 
 Bogra-Nehru negotiations
 (argued Nehru to realize the desirability
of settling Kashmir dispute. Met informally in
London in June 1953, & in July 1953 in Karachi.
He suggested a fair plebiscite in Kashmir, but
by September 21,1954 he realized that talks
regarding Kashmir have failed)
 In case of a difference of opinion between the
two Houses, a joint session of the two Houses
would be called and the matter would be
decided by a majority vote, provided that the
majority included thirty percent of the
members from each zone.
 It maintained the principle of parity between
East and West Pakistan in combined Houses,
with 175 seats for each zone. So in total, both
the wings were to have 175 seats each in the
two Houses of the Legislative Assembly.
 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.
 The two houses of the Legislative Assembly

formed the Electoral College for the

Presidential elections and the President was
to be elected for a term of 5 years
Criticism :Issue of equal powers
 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.
language issue
 Another significant measure during this
period that facilitated the problem of
constitution-making was the settlement of
the language issue.
 In 1954 the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan

decided that Bengali and Urdu would be the

national languages of Pakistan.
 This decision facilitated the constitution-

making process.
2nd Assembly dissolved
 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.
Lahore riots of 1953
 The Lahore riots of 1953 were a series of
violent riots against the Ahmadiyya
Movement, a faith marginalized in Pakistan,
mainly in the city of Lahore, Pakistan as well
as the rest of Punjab, which were eventually
quelled by the Pakistan Army who declared
three months of martial law.
 The demonstrations began in February 1953, soon
escalating into citywide incidents, including looting, arson
and the murder of somewhere between 200 to 2000
people, while thousands more were left displaced.
According to the official inquiry conducted by the Punjab
Government the actual number killed in these riots were
around 20 people.
 The page one of the inquiry says "Before the declaration of
Martial Law, the police had to resort to firing in several
places and at least two persons were killed on the night of
4th March and ten on 5th March, Sixty-six persons more
must have been injured in the firing because that number
of wounded persons admitted to the Lahore hospitals had
gunshot wounds.
Imposing martial Law
 Official Unable to contain the increasingly
widespread civil disorder, Governor-General
Ghulam Muhammad handed over the
administration of the city to the army under
Lieutenant General Azam Khan, imposing
martial law on 6 March.
Independence of Pakistan in 1947,
 After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Ahmadis
prospered and reached many high ranking Government
and Military positions in Pakistan, due to an extremely
high Literacy rate. They held up stay as an important
political force in Pakistan, due to its support for
secularism and acted as a counterbalance to Majlis-e-
Ahrar-ul-Islam.
 This group was disillusioned and disorganized after
1947 and politically isolated. Even before partition one
of its primary targets was the Ahmadiyya movement.
However, in 1949, the Majlis-e-Ahrar launched
countrywide campaigns and protests resulting in a ban
on Majlis-e-Ahrar in 1954.
Demands and culmination
 Disturbances began after an ultimatum was
delivered to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on
21 January 1953 by a deputation of ulama
representing Majlis-i Amal (council of action)
constituted by an All-Pakistan Muslim Parties
Convention held in Karachi from 16 to 18
January 1953.
demands
 The ultimatum stated unless three demands
were met:
 Removal of Zafarullah Khan from the foreign

ministry;
 Removal of Ahmadis from top government

offices;
 Declaration of Ahmadis as non-Muslims.

Majlis-e-Amal would resort to direct action

(rast iqdum).
Disturbances and aftermath

 The ultimatum was rejected and disturbances

commenced.
 On 6 March martial law was declared.
 Two people were killed by police prior to martial law and
casualties "admitted by the military" caused in "quelling
the disturbances in Lahore" were eleven killed and 49
wounded.
 Marking the military's first foray into civilian politics, the
70-day-long military deployment saw Lahore return to
normalcy under Azam Khan's coherent leadership ; the
Secretary General of the Awami Muslim League, Maulana
Abdul Sattar Khan Niazi, was arrested and sentenced to
death, but his sentence was subsequently commuted.
 The riots also brought unprecedented
political consequences; Ghulam Muhammad
first dismissed Mian Mumtaz Daultana from
the post of Chief Minister of Punjab on 24
March, allegedly for manipulating the
religious element in anti-Ahmadi violence for
political benefits.
 Next on 17 April, using his special powers under
the Government of India Act 1935, Ghulam
Muhammad dismissed Prime Minister, Khwaja
Nazimuddin and the entire federal cabinet.
Muhammad Ali Bogra (Pakistan's ambassador to
the United States) replaced him. Bogra, who did
not know why he was being called back, took the
oath as new Prime Minister within hours of
Nazimuddin's dismissal.
 On 19 June 1953 a Court Of Inquiry was
established to look into disturbances, known
as the Punjab Disturbances Court Of Inquiry.
The inquiry commenced on 1 July and held
117 sittings. The evidence was concluded on
23 January 1954 and arguments in the case
lasted to 28 February 1954. Conclusions were
formulated and the report issued 10 April
1954
 However, Ghulam Muhammad with the support of
bureaucracy and military leadership used the
discretionary power given to him by the provisional
constitution and dismissed Nazimuddin.
 He was summoned by Ghulam Muhammad along
with his cabinet and ordered to resign when
Nazimuddin declined he was dismissed along with
his cabinet.
 The Governor-General had acted under section 10
of the adopted Government of India Act, thus
Nazimddin became the victim of a bureaucratic-
military coup.
 . Nazimuddin tried to resist his dismissal
since he enjoyed the confidence of the
legislature and had also passed the budget
for the year 1953-54.
 He also tried to contact the Queen in England

to remove Ghulam Muhammad from the

office of Governor-General but failed to
produce the desired effect.
 Muhammad Ali Bogra became the new Prime

Minister of the country on 17th April 1953.

Muhammad Ali Bogra
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.
 The House of People was to have a total number of three
hundred members, to be divided among the five units in this
manner
East Bengal 165 members,
Punjab 75,
NWFP 13,
Sindh 19,
State of Khairpur 1
Balochistan 3,
Bahawalpur State 7.
Both Houses were to have equal powers in all matters.
 There was a provision for a joint session of the two for the

election of the Head of the State and the disposal of votes of

confidence.
(Compromise Formula on Federal Legislature)
Bogra Formula: features
 He presented the formula to the Constituent Assembly
on 7th October 1953 and it is known as the Bogra
formula. The major features of the formula were:
 The federal legislature would comprise of two houses
 – the House of Unit
 the House of People.
 The total strength of the House of Units would be 50,
which was to be equally divided among five units
namely, East Bengal, Punjab, NWFP, Frontier States,
Sindh and Khairpur, Balochistan.
 The House of Units would be elected indirectly by the
legislature of the units. The Bogra formula reduced
the 9 units of West Pakistan into 4 units.
Second constituent Assenbly
 2nd Constituent Assembly, June-July 1955
 Ghulam Muhammad called a Convention on May 10, 1955.
 • All its members were to be elected indirectly (by the provincial
assemblies). •
 In this way, the 2nd CA came into Existence.
 M. l 25
 United front 16
 Awami l. 12
 Noon Group 3
 Pakistan Gongress 4
 S.C 3
 U.P.P 2
 I. Muslims 1
 Other 6 total 73
1955
  Chaudhry Muhammad Ali becomes PM (Aug
11,1955. greatest achievement was framing
1956 constitution. He resigned himself.) 
Sikandar Mirza becomes Gov. Gen. (Aug
1955. 4th Gov. Gen. elected as 1st president)
 West Pakistan established as One Unit (Sept
30,1955.Assembly passed the bill merging
310,000 sq miles into one unit with LHR as
provincial capital. Continued until Gen. yahya
dissolved it on July 1,1970 )
1956
 The Constitution of 1956 (enforced on 23 Mar,
1956. Pakistan became Republican after
Dominion.
 Consisted of 234 articles, divided into 13 parts
& 6 schedules.
 Main feature:
 Islamic character.
 Provided unicameral legislature.
 Continued till Oct7, 1958.
  H.S Suhrawardy becomes Prime Minister (Sept
12,1956. resigned on Oct 10,1957.
 downfall causes:
 1. Appropriate electorate
 2. differences over 1 unit.)
  Sikandar Mirza becomes President (after

1956 constitution enforcement.

 Tenure 1956-58.
 1. brought about cabinet changes.
 2. advocated democracy. Arrested and exiled

to Britain )
1957
 I.I Chundrigar becomes PM (Oct 1957),
Sikandar appointed him as PM held a weak
position 
 Malik Feroz Khan Noon becomes Prime

Minister (Dec16,1957.
 he took prime ministry which lasted for less

than a year because of abrogation of

constitution on Oct 7/8,1958).
1958
 Ouster of President Sikandar Mirza (Oct7,1958.
 Sikandar declared Martial law and Gen. Ayub
Khan became Chief Martial law administrator. Having
more powers.
 He arrested Sikandar on Oct 27,1958 who exiled to
Britian and died later on.)
 Martial Law under field Martial Ayub Khan (1958-62).
 Gen Ayub khan entitled him as Field Martial,
 under Martial law Oct 7, 1958: • Constitution
abrogated.
 Ministers were dismissed.
 assemblies were dissolved.
 All political activities were banned.
One Unit Scheme, October 1955
 • The presence of different provinces in the
WP had complicated the issue of the WP’S
representation in the CA.
 • It was handled by uniting all the WP units

into ONE (One Unit, October 30, 1955). • Now

both the parts had become two units and could
be addressed equally.
 To distribute seats of Federal Legistrature

between East and west Pakistan

 Chaudhary Muhammad Ali 22 Nov 1954 P.M
THANK
YOU
POLITICAL
1947-1958