Daily Times

The Pakistan People’s Party was launched at its founding convention, held in Lahore on November 30, 1967. In the same meeting, it elected Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as its chairman. This year, the party celebrated its birthday at Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir.

Commonly referred to as the PPP, it is a left-wing socialist–a progressive political party in Pakistan. Since its foundation in 1967, it has been a major and influential political left-wing force in the country.

Since its formation in 1967, the PPP has been voted in power on five separate occasions–1970,1977,1988,1993 and 2008. It dominated the politics of Pakistan during the 1970s; suffering a temporary decline during the military dictatorship of Zia-ul-Huq. After the re-establishment of democracy in 1988 following Zia’s death, a two-party system developed, with the PPP and IJI (later succeeded by PML (N)) as two major sides. The party, which served as the principal opposition to the Musharraf, led a government from 1999 to 2008. Until the disqualification of Prime Minister Yousif Raza Gillani by the Supreme Court in 2012, the PPP was regarded as the most influential political party in the country. After the 2013 Elections, it emerged as the largest opposition party in the National Assembly as well as the governing party in Sindh.

Among the expressed goals of the party were the establishment of egalitarian democracy and the application of socialistic ideas to realise economic and social justice.

A more immediate task was the struggle against the dictatorship of General Ayub Khan, who was at the height of his power when the PPP was formed.

Under the influence of the Soviet Union, both countries signed the Tashkent Declaration in Uzbekistan. Tashkent Declaration shocked the people of Pakistan, who were expecting something different because a public perception was built in Pakistan that they were going to win the war.

Khan fiercely defended the declaration and called it “in the best interests of the people.” This led to a confrontation between Khan and Foreign Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who finally resigned. He went on accuse Khan of losing the war on the negotiating table. The opposition parties decided to protest against the declaration. However, the state resorted to imposing the ban on public gathering; arresting activists. The resignation of Bhutto further angered and dismayed the public and democratic-socialists. On February 5, 1966, Sheikh Mujeeb-ur-Rehman publicly announced his program of regional autonomy at a news conference.

In 1968, a massive public-relations program was launched by the party, beginning in Punjab. Bhutto’s program directly targeted the country’s poverty-stricken masses. The left-wing oriented slogan, “Land to the Landless,” proved to be irresistible to the peasants and labour-force, as the party promised not only to abolish the fundamental feudalism that had plagued the country but also to redistribute lands amongst the landless and the peasants. The working class and labour movement quickly flocked to the party; believing it to be a party dedicated to the destruction of capitalism in the country. Young university students and teachers, who had often borne the brunt of Khan’s dictatorial regime during his decade-long rule, were promised a better future with better educational and career opportunities. The party’s manifesto also attracted the country’s numerous sectarian minorities, who quickly joined the party. The continuous contentions and pressure forced Khan to resign from the presidency in 1969; leading to the imposition of Martial Law by Army Commander General Yahya Khan after promising to hold elections in two years. During this time, the PPP intensified its support in West Pakistan; organising itself and gaining support from poor masses in West Pakistan.

A more immediate task was the struggle against the dictatorship of General Ayub Khan, who was at the height of his power when the PPP was formed

As a result of Pakistan’s defeat by India in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, General Yahya Khan was forced to resign. On December 20, Z A Bhutto took the oath as president. By the time Bhutto had assumed control of what remained of Pakistan, the nation was completely isolated, angered and demoralised.

Bhutto vowed to build a new Pakistan and promised to fight back. On January 2, 1972, Bhutto announced the nationalisation of all major industries. A new labour policy was announced to increase the workers’ rights and the power of trade unions. He announced reforms to limit land ownership as well as a government take-over of over a million acres to distribute to landless peasants. He successfully negotiated the return of 93,000 prisoners of war and a settlement with India.

The National Assembly approved the Constitution of Pakistan of 1973 on April 10, 1973, and it came into effect on August 14, 1973, the same day Mr Bhutto took oath as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

In 1977, a general election was held in which PPP secured a majority. However, the PNA-led opposition started demonstrations at perceived rigging in elections. At the peak of the movement, Bhutto offered to hold elections in November 1977 and ministries to PNA. Tension, however, continued to mount. Despite an agreement reached between the opposition and PPP, martial law was imposed in the country by the then Chief of Army Staff, General Zia-ul-Huq. The period between 1977 and 1979 was the worst for PPP leaders and workers as a military regime unleashed brutal repression on them. On April 4, 1979, after a controversial trial found him guilty of murdering a political opponent, Bhutto was executed by hanging.

In 1982, Mohtarmma Benazir Bhutto was elected as the party chairperson. The PPP started the Movement for Restoration of Democracy, which was one of the greatest democratic movements in the world against the ruthless dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq.

After 12 long years, the PPP returned to power by winning the general elections in 1988 with Mohtarmma Benazir Bhutto becoming the first female prime minister of a Muslim country. In 1990, the PPP government was dismissed. It later returned to power in the general elections in 1993 with Bhuttoism becoming the most influential and powerful.

PPP’s next government was dismissed by the party’s elected President, Farooq Leghari, in September 1996.

`After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007, the 2008 parliamentary elections were held on February 18. The PPP won a considerable victory among all political parties. On March 28, 2008, the party appointed Yousaf Raza Gillani to the Office of the Prime Minister. Later on, Mr Asif Ali Zardari was elected as the president of Pakistan. He surrendered all powers for the cause of democracy through the 18th Amendment.

Though PPP lost Major province Punjab in 2013 and 2018 elections, it still has a basic organisation in every corner of the country.

The PPP’s leadership and workers must look retrospectively into what they need to do to further strengthen the party in the whole of Pakistan. It must be in a position where Shaheed Z A Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto made the party powerful. There remains a perception that a strong political future awaits the PPP.

Bhutto had laid the foundation of true democracy, for which he had to pay a very heavy price. He gave a unanimously-approved constitution to the country, which provided and ensured the autonomy of all federating units of the country.

The PPP is a symbol of the federation and must be kept near. If we ignore the PPP, the political future of the country will not get any better.

The writer is a retired officer from the Health Department, Govt of Sindh, and a columnist