Like the other three provinces, Sindh, too, was not free from political turmoil. This was more upsetting for the PPP leadership as Sindh was its centre of power.
The disturbance did not surface suddenly in 1975. In fact, it had begun the very first day Z.A. Bhutto took over on Dec 20, 1971. There was a reason. Nobody had guessed at the time the party was launched in 1967 that the PPP would take over the reins of power and those who joined the party in the early days and sustained all kinds of hardships, would finally become fortune barters leaving all ‘senior and experienced’ leaders who had been in the trade shifting from one party to another.
In Sindh there were many families that aspired for power on Dec 20, 1971, but when Bhutto took oath as president and first civilian martial law administrator, he had to find appropriate people to run affairs till the provincial administration was brought under a parliamentary system. Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, a feudal lord from Sindh, had high aspirations but Bhutto, soon after taking over, appointed Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, his ‘talented cousin’ as governor. This was not good news for Jatoi though he was compensated with the portfolios of political affairs, ports and shipping, communications, petroleum, natural resources, railways and telecommunications in the centre.
Mumtaz also belonged to the landed aristocracy and although he had studied at institutions such as St George College, Missouri, and Oxford University, he had not divorced the traditional traits of landlords. He ruled Sindh in his own style, bringing all his trustworthy people close to him. He wanted Sindh to settle and wait for the reforms that could resolve the people’s problems and fulfill the pledges the party made during electioneering. A strict disciplinarian, yet humane and sympathetic, Mumtaz quickly carved out his niche among the people. As Mumtaz’s popularity grew, Jatoi grew dissatisfied and began to cultivate his own interests and soon became the leader of a group of ministers within the Sindh cabinet. Mumtaz was appointed Sindh chief minister on May 1, 1972, till Dec 22, 1973, when he was removed as punishment for acting independently and ambitiously.
Bhutto was aware of the developments, as he had his eyes and ears on Mumtaz. Jam Sadiq Ali, an old Muslim Leaguer and once a patron of Ayub Khan’s regime in Sindh, was now the minister of local bodies and housing in the Sindh cabinet. He told him how Mumtaz was gaining popularity such that could match Bhutto himself, and also dividing the party on the lines of personal leadership. Although Mumtaz was his cousin, Bhutto considered this an unpardonable act. He decided to accommodate another group that appeared to be docile — a qualification Bhutto cherished the most. Mumtaz knew the reason behind his punishment but stayed within the fold of the party and watched the situation. On Dec 22, 1973, the day Mumtaz was relieved, Jatoi took oath as chief minister, only to be removed on July 5, 1977, by the army coup led by General Ziaul Haq.
Hailing from a feudal family of Nawabshah, Jatoi learnt the tricks of the trade from his father, Ghulam Rasoool Jatoi, who had been a politician in pre-Independence days. Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi was elected as a member of the West Pakistan assembly in 1956 and a member of NA during Ayub Khan’s presidency in 1962. The PPP’s take-over gave him a chance to build his own camp which he was able to do. After becoming the chief minister he began implementing his agenda of strengthening his position in the constituency and among his camp partners. He knew the ways to appease Bhutto and retain the reins of power.
Bhutto knew that Sindh was a difficult province, in the sense that it bore a mosaic of cultures and all had to stay calm, work in peace and make room for new migrants. Karachi was then a stronghold of the rightist Jamaat-i-Islami, which Bhutto wanted to neutralise. With Jam, the Mirs of Tando Mohammad Khan and some splinter groups, Jatoi made efforts to keep the province free of violence but when the post-1977 election emotions rose high, he became helpless.
His predecessor Mumtaz Bhutto kept waiting for about ten months and on Oct 22, 1974, he was appointed federal minister for communication. Though he wanted to contribute towards improvement in social conditions, in a limited venue he could hardly act for the general benefit.
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