1
Despite knowing that it would get sympathy votes, the PPP had to work hard to plug the cracks that had appeared in the 11-year alienation period. Benazir Bhutto took the bull by its horns. She chartered a small plane and visited the entire country, addressing election rallies — sometimes four to five in a day.
In her speeches, she spoke about the losses that society had suffered during the dictatorial era of Gen Zia. Many analysts expected her to exploit her father’s hanging, but she vowed that her party did not believe in revenge; instead she pledged that democracy would be her party’s guiding principle. Her approach evoked a positive reaction from the public. Seemingly, unfatigued, she utilised as much time as was possible in canvassing and when the day finally came to an end, her election staff and the crew of the chartered aircraft would be relieved to go home.
Nawaz Sharif, too, was making a lot of effort and likewise chartered a plane. However, he could not match Benazir’s speed and often remarked: “Iss de dandaan wich peer naeen pendi; boli jandi, ay boli jandi ay” (Why doesn’t she feel the pain in her teeth as she speaks on and on). No matter how busy he was, he did not change his routine. Before embarking on the plane, he would make sure that his supply of cold milk bottles had been loaded. He would sit at the front seat of the small plane, where a small wooden plank served as a table. He wanted the party workers and members accompanying him to occupy the narrow aisle between the seats so that more workers could be accommodated on the plane, but alas, the captain did not allow it. After addressing the rallies, he would often be late for the return journey, with the captain sending him reminders that the late flight would make landing difficult and dangerous.
Since these elections were supposed to be a turning phase in the country’s history, all newspapers were diligently assessing the situation. Being associated with the daily Dawn and monthly Herald, I was assigned the task of monitoring the voting trends in Sindh, especially in Nawabshah, Khairpur and Larkana districts. Here, former PPP stalwart and NPP chief Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and the spiritual leader of the Hur Jamaat, Pir Sahib Pagara were contesting. After evaluating the trends there, I reported that Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi contesting on an IJI ticket had no chance of winning. When the report appeared in the Herald’s special election issue, acting president Ghulam Ishaq Khan called Sabhago Khan Jatoi, the then deputy commissioner (DC) of Nawabshah district, inquiring about Jatoi’s position. Though he was assured that the NPP leader would win with a big margin, the DC was asked to work hard and ensure Jatoi’s victory in the light of the report published in the newsmagazine. Sabhago Khan Jatoi had been transferred to Nawabshah district in a bid to secure the former chief minister’s home seat. Despite all efforts, when the results came Jatoi was wiped out as predicted. Similar was the fate of other heavyweights, including Mumtaz Bhutto (Z.A. Bhutto’s talented cousin), Pir Sahib Pagara and former prime minister Mohammad Khan Junejo.
Promising to comply with three conditions set by GIK, Benazir takes oath as prime minister
The PPP came out as the single largest party securing 94 seats, while the official alliance, the IJI, bagged 54 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) boycotted but took part as observers, bagging 13 seats.
In the final countdown PPP bagged 94 seats, while IJI got 55, the Independents 37 and other parties 19 seats. Among other parties JUI-F secured seven seats, ANP got two seats. The breakdown was for 237 seats (207 general, 20 seats for women and 10 for minorities).
The election results shocked the acting president, who began exploring a way out for the IJI to form the government by manoeuvring a coalition. He even asked the splinter groups to join the IJI, an attempt that went in vain. Even if all the 39 Independents would have supported the IJI, the total number of seats would have been much less than the required majority for forming the government. Instead of calling for the election of the leader of the house, Ishaq Khan thought of requisitioning the National Assembly session and call for the election of the speaker, which would indicate the majority; but the idea was dropped for fear of a political fallout. After a lapse of 14 days, Ishaq Khan finally asked Benazir Bhutto to take oath as prime minister; of course, after arriving at an agreement.
Many observers claimed that it was a deliberate attempt on the part of Ishaq Khan to delay transfer of power. No doubt Ishaq Khan delayed it, but it was the Revival of the Constitutional Order (RCO) enacted by Gen Zia which empowered the president to appoint, at his discretion, any member of the National Assembly as prime minister. He had no intention of offering power to the PPP chief but the RCO offered him a chance to play a trick.
For this purpose, Ishaq Khan laid down three conditions, and the task was awarded to Mirza Aslam Baig, the COAS, to approach Benazir. The first condition was: Ishaq Khan would stay; so would Sahibzada Yaqoob Ali Khan as foreign minister; and she would neither cut the defence budget unilaterally nor would interfere in defence matters. BB accepted all three conditions.
To form the government was easy but to run it was difficult. She did not want strained relations, but it was unavoidable. Just a few minutes before the oath taking, as BB entered the room for the ceremony, Ishaq Khan, who was to receive her at the rostrum, went up to her and politely asked Ms Bhutto to proceed ahead by saying: “Beti, after you.” “I am not Beti. I am the prime minister of Pakistan,” was the quick retort by the would-be prime minister. This baffled Ishaq Khan and he proceeded before her. Clad in a green shalwar kameez, her head covered, she took oath as the Muslim world’s first woman prime minister. After the oath, she was led to the official car by Ishaq Khan, the president who had the power to dismiss her government, and which he did, 20 months later.
Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, June 12th, 2016
