Chief Martial Law Administrator General Ziaul Haq knew about the significance and depth of Pakistan-China relations — meticulously crafted by the deposed prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. To inculcate a personal relationship with the Chinese, Gen Zia proceeded on a five-day visit to Beijing on Dec 14, 1977. On the same day, the government confiscated the passports of many PPP leaders, including Mustafa Jatoi, Hafeez Pirzada, Mumtaz Bhutto and General Akbar Khan.
As protests by the PPP supporters continued, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir went to the Gaddafi Stadium on Dec 16 to watch a cricket match between England and Pakistan. This was a political move — the match was merely an excuse for both ladies to talk to common citizens. When they reached the stadium, a large crowd raising pro-Bhutto slogans welcomed the Bhutto women.
But also present at the stadium was an anti-Bhutto group; a clash ensued. The police resorted to baton-charging both sets of supporters, resulting in Begum Bhutto sustaining a head injury. She was taken to a hospital, and later shifted to her Lahore residence. Both Bhutto women were detained there.
The next day, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was scheduled to attend a hearing in the Kasuri murder case. As proceedings began, Bhutto asked his counsel to inform the judge to reschedule proceedings since he was not in a composed state because of his wife’s injury. The defence lawyer did not convey this to the court. After some time, a worried Bhutto asked his lawyer: “Damn it. Why don’t you address the court?” This remark was overheard by the judge, who asked court officers to take Bhutto out of the court until he returned to his senses.
Gen Zia frustrated as Begum Nusrat and Benazir Bhutto begin meeting common citizens
By the end of November 1977, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto were well into their political groove. In Karachi, PPP workers staged a rally on Dec 18, which was dispersed by the police, injuring a few PPP workers. The next day, Benazir was detained at her Lahore residence for one week. Another protest was staged in Rawalpindi.
The General returned from China on Dec 19, a day after Benazir had been detained. The moment he landed, Gen Zia boomed that if a few people wanted to get the party banned, it could be done. Rather, something more could be done to it too.
This statement provided a hint of what lay at the back of the General’s mind.
Meanwhile, at the Lahore High Court, the federal government filed its reply to Begum Bhutto’s petition against the detention of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and other PPP leaders under Martial Law Order No 12. In its reply, the government argued that these men were involved in activities which were in contravention of the objectives of imposing martial law. They were also acting against the security and integrity of Pakistan. Therefore, said the government, it was an appropriate act to arrest the PPP leaders.
The next day, more PPP leaders were arrested and sent to jail. Those incarcerated included former MNA Dr Yaqoob, Senator Ahsanul Haq, acting secretary of the party, Rana Shaukat, Anwar Sajjad, Syed Ali Asghar Shah, Mohammad Hanif, Raja Zahoorul Haq and Shaikh Abdur Razzaq. They were charged with unlawful assembly and delivery of objectionable speeches.
But within the PPP, workers also began to speculate why Jatoi and Maulana Kausar Niazi were asking them to keep their protests low-key. On Dec 23, Maulana Niazi, speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, asked the PPP workers to observe Dec 25, the birth anniversary of the Quaid-i-Azam, in a peaceful manner. He plainly said that the PPP did not want a clash with the military and workers should not resort to violence. However, he said, if the party’s leadership were to decide on such a path, workers would be duly informed. In that case, the executive committee’s members would be at the forefront of the struggle.
Two days later, Gen Zia marked the Quaid’s birth anniversary with a sermon on Islam. He also referred to a rumour circulating about him, saying that some people were saying that Zia was only paying lip service to Islam, as he did not know how a man with an empty stomach would speak about Islam. He declared that in Islam, the real Muslim would fight on an empty stomach. This speech caused disappointment among the people, who thought a newcomer to politics would announce some relief for the underpreviliged section sof the society.
Meanwhile, National Awami Party (NAP) leader Wali Khan was released from Hyderabad jail; soon after being let go, the NAP leader expressed satisfaction over the imposition of martial law and said that without it, Bhutto could not have been removed. Reacting immediately, Akbar Bugti rejected Wali Khan’s remarks and said that he too was acting like Bhutto and asked him not to pretend to be a leader of the Baloch.
Next week: Hyderabad Tribunal wound up.
Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, July 27th, 2014
