Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
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Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Sindhi: ذوالفقار علي ڀُٽو; Urdu: ذوالفقار علی بھٹو;IPA: [zʊlfɪqɑːɾ ɑli bʱʊʈːoː]) (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistanipolitician and statesman who served as the 9th Prime Minister of Pakistanfrom 1973 to 1977, and prior to that as the 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. He is revered in Pakistan as Quaid-i-Awam (Urdu: قائدعوام People’s Leader).[3] He was also the founder of the Pakistan People's Party(PPP) and served as its chairman until his execution in 1979.[4]
Educated at Berkeley and Oxford, Bhutto trained as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. He entered politics as one of President Iskander Mirza's cabinet members, before being assigned several ministries during President Ayub Khan's military rule from 1958. Appointed Foreign Minister in 1963, Bhutto was a proponent of Operation Gibraltar in Indian-occupied Kashmir, leading to war with India in 1965. After the Tashkent Agreement ended hostilities, Bhutto fell out with Ayub and was sacked from government. He founded the PPP in 1967, contesting general elections in 1970. The Awami League won a majority of seats in East Pakistan and PPP won a majority of seats in West Pakistan, the two parties were unable to agree on a new constitution on particular on the issue of Six Point Movement which many in West Pakistansaw as a way to break up the country .[5] Subsequent uprisings led to thesecession of Bangladesh, and Pakistan losing the war against Bangladesh-allied India in 1971. Bhutto was handed over the presidency in December 1971 and emergency rule was imposed.
Bhutto set about rebuilding Pakistan he stated his intention to 'rebuild confidence and rebuild hope for the future'.[6] By July 1972, Bhutto had recovered 93,000 prisoners of war and 5,000 square miles of Indian-held territory after signing the Simla Agreement.[7][8] In foreign affairs, he strengthened ties with the Soviet Union, China and Saudi Arabia, andrecognised the sovereignty of Bangladesh. Domestically, Bhutto's reign sawparliament unanimously approve a new constitution in 1973, after which he endorsed Fazal Ilahi's bid for president, and assumed instead the newly empowered office of Prime minister. He also played an integral role in initiating the atomic–bomb programme. His economic programme was based on the nationalization of much of Pakistan's industries, expansion of theWelfare State by introducing minimum wage and old age benefits.[9][10] In addition Bhutto launched the process of industrial reconstruction by establishing Pakistan Steel Mills and Port Qasim.[9] Bhutto dissolved theBalochistan Assembly following the discovery of arms destined for rebels, this was met with unrest. Bhutto ordered a military operation in the provincein 1973 and speeded up economic reforms in the expanding roads and agricultural loans in the province .[11]
The PPP won the 1977 parliamentary elections, However, a conservative alliance alleged widespread rigging and civil disorder escalated across Pakistan. Finally on 5 July 1977, chief of army staff General Zia-ul-Haqdeposed Bhutto in a bloodless coup, and had the former Prime Minister controversially tried and executed by the Supreme Court in 1979 for authorising the murder of a political opponent Mohammad Ahmad Kasuri. While Bhutto's legacy is contentious, his party, the PPP, remains one of the largest in Pakistan and his daughter Benazir Bhutto would emerge as prime minister after winning the Pakistani General elections of 1988 following Zia's Death.
Political career[edit]
In 1957, Bhutto became the youngest member of Pakistan's delegation to the United Nations. He addressed the UN Sixth Committee on Aggression that October and led Pakistan's delegation to the first UN Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1958. That year, Bhutto became Pakistan's youngest cabinet minister, taking up the reins of the Ministry of Commerce by President Iskander Mirza, pre-coup d'état government.[4] In 1960, he was promoted to Minister of Water and Power,Communications and Industry. Bhutto became trusted ally and advisor of Ayub Khan, rising in influence and power despite his youth and relative inexperience. Bhutto aided his president in negotiating the Indus Water Treaty in India in 1960 and next year negotiated an oil-exploration agreement with the Soviet Union, which agreed to provide economic and technical aid to Pakistan.
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