1970 constitutional crises[edit] Constitutional crises grew further when AL refused to make concessions over its six points to draft the constitution and instead maintaining that AL had was quiet competent to frame a constitution and to form a central government on its own.[12] The PPP was not willing to dilute the authority of the federal government in spite of assuring full provincial autonomy for all the provinces of Pakistan.[12] Negotiations on framing the work on constitution were held between January and March 1971 between leaders of PPP, AL, and the military government of Yahya Khan, which turned out to be a failure.[12] Under the LFO, the President Yahya was to decide when the National Assembly was to meet.[12] By 13 February 1971, the President Yahya announced that the National Assembly was to meet at Dhaka on 3 March 1971. By this time the differences between the main parties to the conflict had already crystallized.[12] The East Pakistan Army which was operating more or less independently of Islamabad was committing human rights abuses and was making negotiations even more difficult.[12] Over the six point issue, the PPP was convinced that a federation based on six point would lead to a feeble confederation in name only and was part of larger Indian plan to break up the Pakistan.[12] On 14 January, President Yahya announced Mujibur Rahman as the Prime Minister of Pakistan which prompted Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to boycott the National Assembly on 15 February. Talking to the news media, Mujibur Rahman strongly asserted that Our stand is absolutely clear. The constitution will be framed on the basis of the six points.[12] Such announcement led the PPP to demand the removal of the National Assembly session or opening session to be postponed.[12] The PPP threatened to stage a large scale general strike in all over the country. Under pressured by PPP, President Yahya postponed the National Assembly session on 25 March which came as a shattering disillusionment to the AL and their supporters throughout East Pakistan.[12] It was seen as a betrayal and as proof of the authorities of the Pakistan to deny them the fruits of their electoral victory.[12] This resulted in the outbreak of violence in East Pakistan. The Awami League launched a non-cooperation movement and virtually they controlled the entire province.[12] Due to disturbances in East Pakistan, no National Assembly session was called and the military moved in East Pakistan to control the situation.[12] The civil disobedience movement turned into armed liberation movement backed by the India. With India successfully intervening in the conflict, the Pakistan military surrender to the Indian military and almost over ~93,000 military personnel were taken as prisoners of war on 16 December 1971.[12] Demoralized, gaining notoriety in the country, and finding himself unable to control the situation, President Yahya ultimately handed over the national power to PPP, of which, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sworned in on 20 December 1971 as President and as the (first civilian) Chief Martial Law Administrator.[12]
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 07:43:40 +0000
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