1977 General Election in the history of Pakistan || Election

1977 General Election in the history of Pakistan

General elections were conducted in Pakistan on March 7, 1977, with the aim of electing 200 members to the National Assembly. This marked the second general election in Pakistan and the first since the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Initially scheduled for the latter half of 1977 after the completion of the National Assembly's parliamentary term, the government led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) opted to advance the elections. Given the favorable public opinion towards the Bhutto government, widespread anticipation suggested a high likelihood of the PPP's re-election. In response, nine opposition parties joined forces to establish the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA). The PNA campaigned on a right-wing platform, opposing the PPP's left-wing stance. Interestingly, the PNA included some left-wing parties critical of Bhutto, such as the National Awami Party led by Khan Abdul Wali Khan, who also assumed a leadership role within the PNA.

The election results unfolded as a resounding victory for the PPP, securing 155 seats. In contrast, the PNA only managed to win 36 seats, with the Pakistan Muslim League (Qayyum) being the lone party besides the PPP to secure a seat. The PPP's triumph meant Bhutto would continue as the Prime Minister. However, the PNA alleged electoral rigging and refused to accept the outcome. While the PPP denied the rigging accusations, the claims by the PNA led to widespread unrest, marked by mass demonstrations and violent anti-Bhutto protests. Bhutto and the security forces struggled to maintain control, prompting the government to declare martial law. Chief of Army Staff Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq subsequently convened a secret meeting of senior military officials to plan a coup, which was successfully executed, resulting in the overthrow of the government and the dissolution of the National Assembly. Consequently, Pakistan entered its third phase of military rule. 

Camping

The elections deviated from the initially planned schedule, which had slated them for the latter part of 1977. However, on January 7, 1977, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto made a national television announcement, advancing the election date and promptly initiating his political campaign. By January 10, Election Commissioner Justice Sajjad Ahmad Jan revealed the election schedule, setting January 19 and 22 as the deadlines for Parliament and Provincial Assemblies nominations, respectively.

Bhutto took an assertive stance, swiftly distributing party tickets to his supporters. In contrast to the 1970 elections, where the Pakistan Peoples Party relied mainly on socialist slogans, Bhutto now incorporated political heavyweights, granting tickets to feudal lords and other influential figures. Bhutto, engaging in nationwide public meetings, aimed to garner support from various segments of the population. To appeal to the common man, he announced labor reforms on January 4 and a second round of land reforms on January 5. Public meetings drew significant attendance, particularly in interior Sindh and Punjab. Bhutto's strategic move to hold early elections was motivated by the desire to minimize the opposition's time for decision-making and preparations.

The Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) posed a formidable challenge to the Pakistan Peoples Party, repeatedly targeting them throughout the campaign. Despite this, the PNA struggled to articulate their vision for the country, instead focusing on allegations of misdeeds, supposed corruption (although no evidence linked it to Bhutto), financial mismanagement, high administration expenditures, and perceived economic missteps contributing to inflation.

Electoral Preparations

The Election Commission registered a total of 30,899,052 voters and appointed two hundred and fifty-five Returning Officers (RO) to oversee the voting process at polling stations across the entire country. In a surprising turn of events, the elections yielded a supermajority for the Pakistan Peoples Party and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, securing 155 seats out of the 200 available.
The victory marked a significant success for the Pakistan People's Party, claiming 155 of the 200 elected seats, including 19 that went uncontested due to the Pakistan National Alliance's boycott of the Balochistan elections amid ongoing military operations.

Result

On March 7, 1977, the Election Commission revealed the results, marking a historic landslide victory for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the country's electoral history. The PPP secured 155 out of 200 seats in the Parliament. In contrast, the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) managed to secure only 36 seats, along with eight seats in each of the provincial legislative assemblies. However, it's noteworthy that the PNA did not contest all seats, with some parties boycotting elections in specific regions. Notably, the PNA failed to secure any seats in industrial cities like Lahore, while in Karachi, they obtained 80% of the seats. A similar pattern emerged in Rawalpindi, despite the PNA's efforts in organizing massive demonstrations and public gatherings.

These results contradicted widespread predictions, as the margin of victory for Bhutto's PPP exceeded expectations.

Overall, the PPP garnered 60% of the votes, achieving a supermajority in the parliament. Interestingly, voting figures indicated that the success of PPP candidates often surpassed the actual voter turnout. In various Punjab constituencies, where Bhutto faced strong opposition, PPP candidates secured over 95% of the vote. Observers noted instances where polling in areas where PNA candidates were strong was allegedly blocked for hours. Both national and international observers quickly raised concerns, pointing out that results in key constituencies seemed to emanate directly from the Prime Minister's office.

Aftermatch

Upon the announcement of election results, Abdul Vali Khan, leader of the Alliance, vehemently accused Bhutto of orchestrating systematic election rigging, triggering widespread outrage. The Alliance opted to boycott assembly sessions, staging massive demonstrations across the country. Vali Khan called for Bhutto's immediate resignation, along with that of the chief election commissioner and the entire government. He proposed the idea of holding new elections under the supervision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Bhutto rejected these demands, prompting Vali Khan and the Alliance to bring their party workers to the streets, deliberately breaking the law and confronting both the police and the Federal Security Force, Bhutto's commissioned security forces.

Alliance leaders urged people to stage countrywide strikes and organize protest marches. The business community joined the movement, creating a full-fledged political movement. Mosques and churches were used by the Alliance to mobilize the masses, emphasizing that they were working for the enforcement of Nizam-i-Mustafa. They criticized Bhutto's socialistic policies and alleged that he had lost his faith in Islam. Religious leaders called for a jihad to save Islam, believing it was under threat from an oppressive regime. Bar associations nationwide protested against electoral fraud and condemned the post-election policy of repression. The riots led by the PNA disrupted law and order, costing the economy $765 million, with exports falling by 35%.

Bhutto initially used repression to quell the Alliance but soon realized its ineffectiveness. Consequently, he attempted to engage in dialogue by holding talks with Alliance leaders. The Alliance demanded 50% representation in the government, the release of their party workers and leaders, and new elections before August 14. On July 3, 1977, the director general of Military Intelligence, Major-General Khalid Mahmud Arif, disclosed the military's plot to overthrow Bhutto, advising him to expedite negotiations. Bhutto, on the following day, accepted all the Alliance's demands, setting the stage for a compromise. However, Bhutto's subsequent travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates was viewed by the Alliance as "dilatory tactics." On July 5, Chief of Army Staff General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, supported by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Shariff, imposed martial law and arrested Bhutto. General Zia later claimed that he would not have taken such action had an agreement been reached between the opposition and the government. This statement was later disputed by General Khalid Mahmud Arif in 1979.