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50 years ago, Pakistan held its first general elections (on December 7, 1970). These were the first direct national elections to be ever held in Pakistan since its independence. These elections were conducted under the Legal Framework Order, 1970, promulgated by Gen. Yahya Khan.
Under LFO 1970, the national assembly was to consist of 300 general seats & 13 reserved seats for women (300 + 13), distributed, on population basis, as follows:
East Pakistan: 162 + 7 (169)
Punjab: 82 + 3 (85)
Sindh: 27 + 1 (28)
NWFP: 18 + 1 (19)
Balochistan: 4 + 1 (5)
FATA: 7
East Pakistan: 162 + 7 (169)
Punjab: 82 + 3 (85)
Sindh: 27 + 1 (28)
NWFP: 18 + 1 (19)
Balochistan: 4 + 1 (5)
FATA: 7
The Election Commission of Pakistan at that time was headed by Justice (R.) Abdus Sattar, the Chief Election Commissioner. He was a Bengali from East Pakistan and had earlier served as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and before that as a judge of the Dhaka High Court.
All Pakistani citizens who'd attained the age of 21 years on Oct 1, 1969, were eligible to vote. '...total registered voters in the country were shown to be 56,941,500, out of which 31,211,220 were in the eastern wing & 25,730,280 were in the western wing' https://www.dawn.com/news/684641/election-1970-polls-in-full-swing
The original election date was fixed on Oct 5, 1970. However due to flooding in East Pakistan, it was postponed to Dec 7. On Nov 11-12, the coastal areas of East Pakistan were again struck by calamity: a devastating Category 4 tropical cyclone which was named as 'Bhola Cyclone'.
Bhola Cyclone 'took the lives of at least 500,000 people' in the coastal areas of E. Pakistan. It remains the deadliest tropical cyclone ever recorded (in terms of no. of casualties) & is counted amongst the world's deadliest natural disasters of all times https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/op-ed/2019/11/08/remembering-the-great-bhola-cyclone
One can find old videos on YouTube which provide a glimpse of the absolute disaster caused by Bhola Cyclone in East Pakistan in November 1970. This was hardly a month before the general elections.
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By November 8, 1970, a cyclone was being tracked in the Bay of Bengal but the authorities failed to provide adequate early warnings to the coastal populations so that people could move to safer places in time. The govt's initial post disaster response was also slow & inadequate.
'East Pakistanis were appalled at the response of the predominantly Punjabi-Muhajir military-bureaucratic administration in dealing with this crisis, & ...were eager to point out how irrelevant the Bengalis had become to the ruling West Pakistani clique.' https://www.dawn.com/news/1359141
On Nov 26, 1970, during Yahya's post cyclone tour of East Pakistan, a reporter asked him: 'Why do you think there's so much criticism in East Pakistan, sir?'
Yahya: 'Well how can I tell you that.'
Did he really not know? Or didn't want to acknowledge?
Yahya: 'Well how can I tell you that.'
Did he really not know? Or didn't want to acknowledge?
Few days later, Yahya addressed a post-tour press conference where he claimed:
'I do not believe that people of E. Pakistan want to separate from W. Pakistan... If you hear these rumblings, let me assure you that this is not the real voice of my people.'
'I do not believe that people of E. Pakistan want to separate from W. Pakistan... If you hear these rumblings, let me assure you that this is not the real voice of my people.'
Whatever the 'real voice' of the people was, they expressed it through the ballot on Dec 7, 1970. During the preceding months, political parties' election campaigns were in full swing. The stakes were high, as the elected assembly was to frame a new constitution within 120 days.
The much reviled 1962 Constitution had been abrogated in 1969. One-Unit in W. Pakistan had been dissolved. Provinces had been allotted seats in the new national assembly proportionate to their population. The 'principle of parity' between E. & W. Pakistan had been done away with.
In many ways, the people of Pakistan were looking forward to a new future, after more than a decade of authoritarian military dictatorship which had denied them direct voting rights, fundamental rights and freedoms, provincial autonomy, and equitable access to national resources.
The new constitution was to be framed by the representatives of people of Pakistan, elected through popular vote in the elections. It was expected to usher a new beginning esp for East Pakistanis who had suffered discrimination, exploitation and deprivation for the last 24 years.
In the East, Awami League headed by Sh. Mujib ur Rehman enjoyed mass support due to its Six-Point Program. In the West, Pakistan Peoples Party headed by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the most popular party, advocating social & economic reforms which challenged traditional power centers
Although a total of 24 political parties participated in the 1970 elections, the real contest was essentially between Awami League & Pakistan Peoples Party. While Mujib put up a few AL candidates in West Pakistan, Bhutto ignored East Pakistan & no PPP candidate was fielded there.
While PPP faced formidable opposition from other smaller parties (e.g. NAP) in parts of West Pakistan, there was little opposition to AL in the east. It was obvious that if AL took the eastern wing's vote bank en bloc, it would easily attain a simple majority in the new assembly.
Political sentiment in E. Pakistan on the eve of elections can be gauged from this interview of Mujib just 3 days before election:
'If you want to give (Bengalis) equal rights as a Pakistani, then you have to give Bengalis their right to live.. (contd.)'
'If you want to give (Bengalis) equal rights as a Pakistani, then you have to give Bengalis their right to live.. (contd.)'
'..They must be masters of their own resources.. they have been exploited for long, long, 23 years. It cannot be tolerated anymore.'
AL's manifesto, based on Six-Point Program, sought to establish a federal parliamentary republic wherein the provinces would be fully autonomous.
AL's manifesto, based on Six-Point Program, sought to establish a federal parliamentary republic wherein the provinces would be fully autonomous.
The Six-Point Program had originally been conceived by leading E. Pakistan based economists, known as the 'Dacca School of Economists' ( https://tribune.com.pk/story/2275467/economists-and-december-16-1971), which included figures like Prof Nurul Islam ( https://www.thedailystar.net/book-reviews/professor-nurul-islams-odyssey-1578118) & Prof Rehman Sobhan ( https://www.thedailystar.net/in-focus/the-economist-and-the-patriot-75436).
Mujib explained AL's agenda & manifesto in detail during his pre-election speech which was broadcast on Radio Pakistan. Spoke about ending economic disparity, exploitation & corruption and granting fundamental rights & freedoms to people. Worth listening:
Mujib spoke about social uplift of masses, land & agriculture reforms and nationalization of banking & industrial sectors. Ended his speech with 'Pakistan Zindabad'. Compare it with Bhutto's pre-election speech on radio (couldn't find complete version):
PPP's manifesto was based on the concept of 'Islamic Socialism'. Although many aspects of AL & PPP manifestos were similar, they diverged in terms of their respective emphasis on Islam & Kashmir, and the extent of autonomy envisioned for federating units in a future Constitution.
A week before the elections, Yahya stated in an interview that he had no intention of continuing as the President after the elections. But also stated that if the Constitution is not framed (within the prescribed time), then martial law would continue.
On December 7, 1970, people came out in large numbers to cast their votes.
AL swept the elections by winning 160 out of the 300 seats in the National Assembly.
PPP won 81 seats. 16 seats were won by independent candidates. Rest of the seats were won by other smaller parties.
AL swept the elections by winning 160 out of the 300 seats in the National Assembly.
PPP won 81 seats. 16 seats were won by independent candidates. Rest of the seats were won by other smaller parties.
Thus, Awami League emerged as the largest party in the new NA and the largest party in E. Pakistan, but didn't win a single seat in W. Pakistan. Whereas PPP emerged as the overall second largest party and the largest party in W. Pakistan, but without a single seat in E. Pakistan.
'Yahya Khan sent congratulatory messages to both the party leaders, but addressed Mujib as the future prime minister... Yahya Khan had in a pre-poll assessment been told that no party could take a clear lead and there would be a coalition government(!)' https://www.dawn.com/news/686541/1970-polls-when-election-results-created-a-storm
The election results represented a divide in the priorities & sentiments of the people of both wings, and kicked off a series of events which led to military operation & civil war in East Pakistan, resulting in the fall of Dhaka and creation of Bangladesh. But more on that later.
For now, I will end with this message sent by Mr. Abdul Motaleb Malik, the last Governor of East Pakistan, to President Yahya Khan, on December 7, 1971, exactly a year after the 1970 elections.
'THE END SEEMS INEVITABLE...'
Courtesy, @leftofthepincer. https://twitter.com/leftofthepincer/status/1335872938227195905
'THE END SEEMS INEVITABLE...'
Courtesy, @leftofthepincer. https://twitter.com/leftofthepincer/status/1335872938227195905
