JEOPARDIZING DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN: THE POLITICAL CONFLICT OF 1977

Authors

  • Abid H. Abbasi Department of Pakistan Studies & History National University of Modern Languages Islamabad

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52567/pjsr.v3i02.218

Abstract

The class-conscious populist movement against Ayub Khan paved the way for the rise of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto with a chanted agenda of egalitarian reforms. A process of democratization and representative institutionalization was started. This process of change was soon derailed on 5th July 1977.  General Ziaul Haq toppled the first ever popularly elected government of Pakistan by imposing a rigorous Martial Law and remained in power till 1988. Role of opposition in 1977 against Bhutto, election 1977, its aftermath, jeopardizing the very foundations of newly established democracy, Pakistan National Alliance’s (PNA) arduous protest movement against alleged rigging in elections, demand for Nizam-i-Mustafa is focused in this study. This paper also discusses opposition’s talks with the Bhutto regime and the introduction of Martial Law by the military under General Zia nevertheless an agreement reached between the PNA and the government. The aftermath of PNA-PPP conflict resulted in jeopardizing the already fragile democratic process in the country and a strong democratic dispensation never returned in the country.

Keywords: Opposition, negotiation, agitation, meetings, dialogues, allegations, agreement elections, Martial Law

Author Biography

  • Abid H. Abbasi, Department of Pakistan Studies & History National University of Modern Languages Islamabad

    Assistant Professor

     

     

Additional Files

Published

2021-06-30

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 02 (2021): Pakistan Journal of Social Research (PJSR)

Section

Research Article

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Abid H. Abbasi

Creative Commons License

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How to Cite

[1]
“JEOPARDIZING DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN: THE POLITICAL CONFLICT OF 1977”, Pak. J, Soc. Sci., vol. 3, no. 02, pp. 166–176, Jun. 2021, doi: 10.52567/pjsr.v3i02.218.