Pakistan National Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Pakistan National Alliance was a nine-party
alliance in Pakistan
, formed in 1977 in which the alliance agreed to run as a single bloc to overthrow the rule of Prime Minister
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
, the first elected leader of that country. It was a major and largest alliance formed against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his government members. When it was formed, Card reader
and astrologist Akilä Zia Schüzhgtai told Pakistan Media
's which later published in the newspapers the next day, that "The 9 stars are united to end the democratic regime of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his collaborators. Bhutto and his colleagues [Zodiac] stars
are revolving into a big trouble [astrological] ring
. The Alliance had 9 different ideological parties, and had consisted of all secularist forces, communist forces, socialist forces, conservative forces and hard-line Islamist forces at a single bloc. However, after General Zia deposed Bhutto and his close colleagues, the alliance divided into two sections. Under Zia, the secular forces, communist forces, and socialist forces were undermined and destroyed. Many of the secular, communist, and socialist party members were either killed, tortured, or went missing whom fate are still unknown.
In an article written by Bhutto's former political analyst, dr. Ataul Haque Kasmie
, the core objective of this alliance was to teach Bhutto a lesson for starting a nuclear development and intensifying socialism in the country.
's (Independence Movement
) secularism
, Abdul Vali Khan’s (People National Party
) Socialism
, Nazeer Abbasi
's (Community Party
) Communism
, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi
's (Muslim League
) Conservatism
, and Maulana Maududi's (Muttahida Mulla Association
) hardline Islamism
united by common dislike of Zulfiqar Bhutto's autocratic policies on a single platform. At this platform, the modern European style-influenced forces formed an alliance with totally opposite of hard-line Islamist forces
. The alliance decided to contest the elections under one election symbol "plough" and a green flag with nine stars as its ensign.
Contesting the 1977 elections jointly the PNA launched a national campaign against the government after the controversial and allegedly rigged results showing the Peoples Party as an overwhelming victory in the general elections. The agitation caught the Peoples Party and its political scientists, by surprise and after several months of street fighting and demonstrations. Under advised by his advisers, Bhutto opened negotiations with the then PNA leadership but whether or not it would have been signed by all PNA parties or by Bhutto remains open to speculation. In a single unusual anti-Bhutto bloc, the alliance seemed to be effective when tapping a wave to remove Bhutto from government.
Meanwhile, Bhutto's trusted confident and a life-long companion dr. Mubashir Hassan
tried to handle the situation on behalf of Bhutto by bringing the alliance on a table to reach an agreement of co-existence and a vital political solution. On other hand, dr. Hassan advised Bhutto to not to rely either on establishment or use the force to curb the alliance. However, dr. Hassan's initiatives were not successful despite the efforts he made day and night. The PNA later refused talk to dr. Hassan as he was seen as a brain behind Bhutto's rise. An agreement was eventually reached in June 1977 and Bhutto was to sign it on July 5. However, despite the enthusiasm of the negotiating team, other PNA leaders had reservations about the agreement. In response, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also tried to crush the power of this alliance, with the help of his agencies such as FSF
and Rangers and for this reason was also considered for the cause of Bhutto's hanging in 4 April 1979. In a coup staged by General Zia, Bhutto was removed from office with majority of his colleagues. Bhutto was thrown in jail with his close confident dr. Hassan who later witnessed General Zia's ill treatment to both men.
The conservatives and Islamist fronts went to General Zia-ul-Haq, Chief of Army Staff and Admiral Mohammad Shariff
, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and convinced them to remove Bhutto and no other agreement is reached with Bhutto and his colleagues remained stubborn. The absence of a formal agreement between the government and the PNA was used as an excuse by the Pakistan Defence Forces under its Chairman Admiral Mohammad Shariff which led to stage a Coup d'état
(see Operation Fair Play
) by General Ziaul Haque in order to break the impasse. Those justifying the coup, argue that no agreement had been reached between the two sides.
The Alliance split after the Army under Zia-ul-Haq ousted his government, between elements (conservatives and religious groups) that supported the martial law government and those who opposed it (socialists, communists and secularists). The socialist, communist, and secular fronts were brutally suppressed, undermined, destroyed and completely disable by General Zia and his supported Islamic Front (see Zia regime). In response, the secular front decided to form the Movement for Restoration of Democracy
to fight the regime of General Zia.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
alliance in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, formed in 1977 in which the alliance agreed to run as a single bloc to overthrow the rule of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
, the first elected leader of that country. It was a major and largest alliance formed against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his government members. When it was formed, Card reader
Card reader
A card reader is a data input device that reads data from a card-shaped storage medium. Historically, paper or cardboard punched cards were used throughout the first several decades of the computer industry to store information and programs for computer system, and were read by punched card readers...
and astrologist Akilä Zia Schüzhgtai told Pakistan Media
Media of Pakistan
Media in Pakistan provides information on television, radio, cinema, newspapers, and magazines in Pakistan.-Regulation:The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority was formed in 2002 to "facilitate and promote a free, fair and independent electronic media", including opening the broadcasting...
's which later published in the newspapers the next day, that "The 9 stars are united to end the democratic regime of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his collaborators. Bhutto and his colleagues [Zodiac] stars
Astrological sign
Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the zodiac. According to astrology, celestial phenomena reflect or govern human activity on the principle of "as above, so below", so that the twelve signs are held to represent twelve basic personality types or characteristic modes...
are revolving into a big trouble [astrological] ring
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
. The Alliance had 9 different ideological parties, and had consisted of all secularist forces, communist forces, socialist forces, conservative forces and hard-line Islamist forces at a single bloc. However, after General Zia deposed Bhutto and his close colleagues, the alliance divided into two sections. Under Zia, the secular forces, communist forces, and socialist forces were undermined and destroyed. Many of the secular, communist, and socialist party members were either killed, tortured, or went missing whom fate are still unknown.
In an article written by Bhutto's former political analyst, dr. Ataul Haque Kasmie
Ata ul Haq Qasmi
Ata ul Haq Qasmi is a Pakistani columnist who has been writing Urdu columns for more than last 45 years in the leading newspapers with the name of "Rozan-e-Dewar Sey"....
, the core objective of this alliance was to teach Bhutto a lesson for starting a nuclear development and intensifying socialism in the country.
History
The Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) manifesto was to bring back the 1970 prices. Implementation of Islam was its primary election slogan. They promised to enforce Islamic laws "Nizam-e-Mustafa", the Shariah laws. They were a conglomerate of diverse views and of contradictory causes, such as Asghar KhanAsghar Khan
Air Marshal Asghar Khan is a Pakistani 3-star rank general and politician who was the first native Air Force Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Air Force. A politician and world war II veteran fighter pilot, at the age of 36, he served as the youngest and first Pakistani head of the Pakistan Air Force...
's (Independence Movement
Tehrik-e-Istiqlal
Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan is a political party in Pakistan. It was formed by Air Marshal Retd. Asghar Khan in 1970. Asghar Khan has retired from the post of President of the party and is currently headed by [Asaf Fasifuddin Vardag], former Member of the senate.In 1979 Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan...
) secularism
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
, Abdul Vali Khan’s (People National Party
Awami National Party
The Awami National Party is an Pashtun nationalist, socialist, centre-left political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International...
) Socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, Nazeer Abbasi
Nazeer Abbasi
Nazeer Abbasi was a Pakistani communist and the Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Pakistan. Abbasi was the political activist and an office holder of the Communist Party as he was designated as Secretary General. He was killed on August 9, 1980 while in the custody of Pakistani...
's (Community Party
Communist Party of Pakistan
The Communist Party of Pakistan is a communist party affiliated with Communist Party of the Russia. Before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the party had long association and ties with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ....
) Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi
Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi
Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi was a politician from Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi founded a political family of Pakistan....
's (Muslim League
Pakistan Muslim League
The Pakistan Muslim League was founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League in Pakistan. Unlike the original PML which ended in 1958 when General Ayub Khan banned all political parties, each subsequent Muslim League was in some way propped by the military dictators of...
) Conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, and Maulana Maududi's (Muttahida Mulla Association
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal is a coalition of Islamist parties that was formed in 2002 to electorally challenge the Pakistan Parliament's incumbent parties...
) hardline Islamism
Islamic extremism
Islamic extremism refers to two related and partially overlapping but also distinct aspects of extremist interpretations and pursuits of Islamic ideology:...
united by common dislike of Zulfiqar Bhutto's autocratic policies on a single platform. At this platform, the modern European style-influenced forces formed an alliance with totally opposite of hard-line Islamist forces
Islamic extremism
Islamic extremism refers to two related and partially overlapping but also distinct aspects of extremist interpretations and pursuits of Islamic ideology:...
. The alliance decided to contest the elections under one election symbol "plough" and a green flag with nine stars as its ensign.
Contesting the 1977 elections jointly the PNA launched a national campaign against the government after the controversial and allegedly rigged results showing the Peoples Party as an overwhelming victory in the general elections. The agitation caught the Peoples Party and its political scientists, by surprise and after several months of street fighting and demonstrations. Under advised by his advisers, Bhutto opened negotiations with the then PNA leadership but whether or not it would have been signed by all PNA parties or by Bhutto remains open to speculation. In a single unusual anti-Bhutto bloc, the alliance seemed to be effective when tapping a wave to remove Bhutto from government.
Meanwhile, Bhutto's trusted confident and a life-long companion dr. Mubashir Hassan
Mubashir Hassan
Mubashir Hassan PhD, is a Pakistani civil engineer and science administrator known for his work in Hydraulics and his political role in the development of the atom bomb project....
tried to handle the situation on behalf of Bhutto by bringing the alliance on a table to reach an agreement of co-existence and a vital political solution. On other hand, dr. Hassan advised Bhutto to not to rely either on establishment or use the force to curb the alliance. However, dr. Hassan's initiatives were not successful despite the efforts he made day and night. The PNA later refused talk to dr. Hassan as he was seen as a brain behind Bhutto's rise. An agreement was eventually reached in June 1977 and Bhutto was to sign it on July 5. However, despite the enthusiasm of the negotiating team, other PNA leaders had reservations about the agreement. In response, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also tried to crush the power of this alliance, with the help of his agencies such as FSF
Federal Security Force
Federal Security Force was a paramilitary force created by Pakistani President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Established in 1972, created as a civil task force of the federal government, ostensibly...
and Rangers and for this reason was also considered for the cause of Bhutto's hanging in 4 April 1979. In a coup staged by General Zia, Bhutto was removed from office with majority of his colleagues. Bhutto was thrown in jail with his close confident dr. Hassan who later witnessed General Zia's ill treatment to both men.
The conservatives and Islamist fronts went to General Zia-ul-Haq, Chief of Army Staff and Admiral Mohammad Shariff
Mohammad Shariff
Admiral Mohammad Shariff, , , is a retired four-star naval officer and a career war veteran. Admiral Mohammad Shariff took over the command of Pakistan Navy on 21 March, 1979, when a three-star vice-admiral, Hasan Hafeez Ahmed, died in office...
, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and convinced them to remove Bhutto and no other agreement is reached with Bhutto and his colleagues remained stubborn. The absence of a formal agreement between the government and the PNA was used as an excuse by the Pakistan Defence Forces under its Chairman Admiral Mohammad Shariff which led to stage a Coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
(see Operation Fair Play
Operation Fair Play
Operation Fairplay was the code-name for the coup d'etat conducted at midnight on July 4, 1977 by the Pakistan Army's 111th Infantry Brigade led by Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq against the elected civilian government of then-Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.-1977 election:The coup was...
) by General Ziaul Haque in order to break the impasse. Those justifying the coup, argue that no agreement had been reached between the two sides.
The Alliance split after the Army under Zia-ul-Haq ousted his government, between elements (conservatives and religious groups) that supported the martial law government and those who opposed it (socialists, communists and secularists). The socialist, communist, and secular fronts were brutally suppressed, undermined, destroyed and completely disable by General Zia and his supported Islamic Front (see Zia regime). In response, the secular front decided to form the Movement for Restoration of Democracy
Movement for Restoration of Democracy
The Movement for the Restoration of Democracy was a major alliance formed by Secular-Socialist democratic political forces aiming to end the General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law and military dictatorship in the country. It was formed in February 1981. The alliance was aimed at restoring democracy and...
to fight the regime of General Zia.
Alliance's Group
The Alliance unusually consisted of 9 parties, with complete different ideologies, backgrounds, and political goals. As of today, the parties have been separated from its original bloc, and formed different parties with different names. And, as of 1970s, the fronts and parties that Bhutto and his colleagues were facing are listed below in their respective categories:- Hard-line Islamist Front
- Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)Muttahida Majlis-e-AmalMuttahida Majlis-e-Amal is a coalition of Islamist parties that was formed in 2002 to electorally challenge the Pakistan Parliament's incumbent parties...
(Assembly of Islamic Clergy-F Group (JUIF)Jamiat Ulema-e-IslamThe Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is a political party in Pakistan. It formed a combined government in national elections in 2002 and 2008...
, Assembly of followers of the Sayings of the prophet (JAH)Jamiat Ahle HadithJamiat Ahle Hadith is a religio-political party in Pakistan promoting the Ahle Hadees religious movement. It is part of the Islamic fundamentalist Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, that won at the last legislative elections, 20 October 2002 with 11.3 percent of the popular vote...
, Shiite Movement of Pakistan (TJP), Islamic Party (IP)Jamaat-e-IslamiThis article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...
, Assembly of Islamic Clergy (JUI)Jamiat Ulema-e-PakistanThe Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan is a political party in Pakistan. It is part of the Islamic Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, that won at the last legislative elections, 20 October 2002, 11.3 of the popular vote and 53 out of 272 elected members.This party belongs to the Sunni current, which in...
, Sunni MovementSunni TehreekSunni Tehreek is a political Islamic organization founded in Pakistan in 1990 to promote the interests of Barelvi Sunni Muslims in conflicts against competing Deobandi and Wahhabi sects.-History:...
, United Democratic Front (UDP)United Democratic Front (Pakistan)United Democratic Front was formed in Pakistan in 1973 in opposition to ruling Pakistan Peoples Party of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. This was a coalition of opposition parties in the National Assembly and Senate....
, Movement for Prophet's System promulgation (TNM)Tehreek Nizam-e-MustafaTehreek Nizam-e-Mustafa law) is an Islamic political party in Pakistan. the parties goal is to establish the Sharia as the only law of Pakistan. Mustafa is an epithet of Muhammad that means, Chosen One....
)
- Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)
- Conservative Front
- Pakistan Muslim LeaguePakistan Muslim LeagueThe Pakistan Muslim League was founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League in Pakistan. Unlike the original PML which ended in 1958 when General Ayub Khan banned all political parties, each subsequent Muslim League was in some way propped by the military dictators of...
and Democratic PartyPakistan Democratic PartyThe Pakistan Democratic Party is a political party in Pakistan.At the last legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won 0.3% of the popular vote and 1 out of 272 elected members....
- Pakistan Muslim League
- Socialist Front
- National Democratic PartyNational Awami Party (Wali)The National Awami Party was formed after a split between Maulana Bhashani and Khan Wali Khan ostensibly over Bhashani's siding with China and Professor Muzaffar Ahmed along with Khan Abdul Wali Khan sided with U.S.S.R in the Sino-Soviet split...
, People's National PartyAwami National PartyThe Awami National Party is an Pashtun nationalist, socialist, centre-left political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International...
, Socialist Worker's and Peasant's Party (MPK), Milli Awami Party (MAP)
- National Democratic Party
- Communist Front
- Communist Party (CPP)Communist Party of PakistanThe Communist Party of Pakistan is a communist party affiliated with Communist Party of the Russia. Before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the party had long association and ties with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union ....
, Communist Worker's Peasant's Party (CMPK)Communist Mazdoor Kissan PartyThe Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party is a political party in Pakistan formed in 1995 through the unification of the Communist Party of Pakistan and the Mazdoor Kissan Party .-History:...
, Thaheem Communist Party (CPPT)Communist Party of Pakistan (Thaheem)Communist Party of Pakistan is a political party in Pakistan led by Khadim Thaheem. It was formed through a split away from the Communist Party of Pakistan in 2002. Thaheem is the general secretary of the party. Rauf Korai is the Sindh Committee secretary of the party....
, National Workers Party (NWP)National Workers Party (Pakistan)On 1 May 1999, the Awami Jamhoori Party, Pakistan Socialist Party and a faction of Pakistan National Party formed the National Workers Party...
, The Struggle Trotskyist (TST)The Struggle (political organisation)The Struggle is a Trotskyist organisation in Pakistan, affiliated to the International Marxist Tendency . Its leader and best known theoretician is Lal Khan, and it constitutes the largest section of the IMT...
, Labour Party (SPP)Labour Party PakistanThe Labour Party Pakistan is a political party, claiming a membership of 7.300 in 2009, which originates from the Trotskyist tradition. Its founders were students in the Netherlands who came into contact with the Committee for a Workers International and were recruited to that body in 1980... - Secularist Front
- Independence MovementTehrik-e-IstiqlalTehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan is a political party in Pakistan. It was formed by Air Marshal Retd. Asghar Khan in 1970. Asghar Khan has retired from the post of President of the party and is currently headed by [Asaf Fasifuddin Vardag], former Member of the senate.In 1979 Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan...
, Balochistan National PartyBalochistan National PartyThe Balochistan National Party or Balochistan National Party is a political party in Balochistan, Pakistan...
, All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (AJKMCAll Jammu and Kashmir Muslim ConferenceThe All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference is a major political party of Azad Kashmir.- History :The All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference was founded as a political party in August 1932 in Srinagar...
)
- Independence Movement
- Baloch Front
- Baloch Republican Party (BRP)Baloch Republican PartyThe Baloch Republican Party is a Baloch nationalist party in Balochistan headed by Brahamdagh Khan Bugti. It was formed after Brahamdagh Bugti broke away from the Jamhoori Watan Party, originally formed by his grandfather Akbar Bugti.-External links:*...
, Balochistan National Party (BNP)Balochistan National PartyThe Balochistan National Party or Balochistan National Party is a political party in Balochistan, Pakistan...
, Balochistan National Movement (BNM)
- Baloch Republican Party (BRP)
- Hidden Directives
- The EstablishmentEstablishment (Pakistan)The Establishment is a term used commonly by Pakistani political scientists and also by political scholars and analysts around the world for the powerful military-dominant oligarchy in Pakistan...
- CIA
- The Establishment
See also
- Islami Jamhoori IttehadIslami Jamhoori IttehadIslami Jamhoori Ittehad or Islamic Democratic Alliance was formed in September 1988 to oppose the Pakistan Peoples Party in elections that year...
- Politics of PakistanPolitics of PakistanPolitics of Pakistan have taken place in the framework of a federal republic, where the system of government has at times been parliamentary, presidential, or semi-presidential. In the current parliamentary system, the President of Pakistan is the largely ceremonial head of state, the Prime...
- History of PakistanHistory of PakistanThe 1st known inhabitants of the modern-day Pakistan region are believed to have been the Soanian , who settled in the Soan Valley and Riwat almost 2 million years ago. Over the next several thousand years, the region would develop into various civilizations like Mehrgarh and the Indus Valley...
- List of political parties in Pakistan