page_title: History of Pakistan (1947–present)
section_title: 1969–1971: martial law
hierarchical_section_title: History of Pakistan (1947–present) / 1958–1971: first military era / 1969–1971: martial law
caption_attribution_description: English: President of Pakistan Yahya Khan with United States President Richard Nixon during the third President of Pakistan visit to the U.S. in October 1970
context_page_description: The history of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan began on 14 August 1947 when the country became an independent nation in the form of Dominion of Pakistan within the British Commonwealth as the result of Pakistan Movement and the partition of India. While the history of the Pakistani Nation according to the Pakistan government's official chronology started with the Islamic rule over Indian subcontinent by Muhammad bin Qasim which reached its zenith during Mughal Era. In 1947, Pakistan consisted of West Pakistan and East Pakistan. The President of All-India Muslim League and later the Pakistan Muslim League, Muhammad Ali Jinnah became Governor-General while the secretary general of the Muslim League, Liaquat Ali Khan became Prime Minister. The constitution of 1956 made Pakistan an Islamic democratic country.
  Pakistan faced a civil war and Indian military intervention in 1971 resulting in the secession of East Pakistan as the new country of Bangladesh. The country has also unresolved territorial disputes with India, resulting in four conflicts. Pakistan was closely tied to the United States in Cold War.
context_section_description: President General Yahya Khan was aware of the explosive political situation in the country. Support for progressive and socialist groups was rising, and calls for a change of regime were gaining momentum. In a television address to the nation, President Khan announced his intention to hold nationwide elections the following year and to transfer power to the elected representatives. Virtually suspending the 1962 Constitution, President Khan instead issued the Legal Framework Order No. 1970 (LFO No. 1970) which caused radical changes in West Pakistan. Tightening the grip of martial law, the One Unit program was dissolved in West Pakistan, removing the "West" prefix from Pakistan, and a direct ballot replaced the principle of parity. Territorial changes were carried out in four of the country's provinces, allowing them to retain their geographical structures as they were in 1947. The state parliament, supreme court and major government and authoritarian institutions also regained their statuses. This decree was limited to West Pakistan, it had no effect on East Pakistan. Civilians in Ayub Khan's administration were dismissed by the military government which replaced them with military officers.
  The Election Commission registered 24 political parties, and public meetings attracted many large crowds. On the eve of the elections, a cyclone struck East Pakistan killing approximately 500,000 people, though this event did not deter people from participating in the first ever general election. Mobilizing support for their Six Points manifesto the Awami League secured electoral support in East Pakistan. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party asserted itself even more. Its socialist rationale, roti kapda aur makaan (food, cloth, and shelter) and the party's socialist manifesto quickly popularised the party. The conservative PML, led by Nurul Amin, raised religious and nationalist slogans all over the country.
  Out of a total of 313 seats in the National Assembly, the Awami League won 167 seats but none from West Pakistan and the PPP won 88 seats but none from East Pakistan. While the Awami League had won enough seats to form a government without the need for any coalition, West Pakistani elites refused to hand over power to the East Pakistani party. Efforts were made to start a constitutional dialogue. Bhutto asked for a share in government saying Udhar tum, idhar hum, meaning "You in the east, I in the west". The PPP's intellectuals maintained that the Awami League had no mandate in West Pakistan. Although President Khan invited the Awami League to a National Assembly session in Islamabad he did not ask them to form a government, due to opposition from the PPP. When no agreement was reached, President Khan appointed Bengali anti-war activist Nurul Amin as Prime Minister with the additional office of the country's first and only Vice-president.
  Sheikh Mujibur Rahman then launched a civil disobedience movement which effectively paralysed the state machinery in East Pakistan. Talks between Bhutto and Rehman collapsed and President Khan ordered armed action against the Awami League. Operations Searchlight and Barisal led to a crackdown on East Pakistani politicians, civilians, and student activists. Sheikh Rahman was arrested and extradited to Islamabad, while the entire Awami League leadership escaped to India to set up a parallel government. A guerrilla insurgency was initiated by the Indian-organised and supported Mukti Bahini ("freedom fighters"). Millions of Bengali Hindus and Muslims took refuge in eastern India leading to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announcing support for the Bangladesh liberation war and providing direct military assistance to the Bengalis. In March 1971 regional commander Major General Ziaur Rahman declared the independence of East Pakistan as the new nation of Bangladesh on behalf of Mujib.
  Pakistan launched pre-emptive air strikes on 11 Indian airbases on 3 December 1971, leading to India's entry into the war on the side of Bangladeshi nationalist forces. Untrained in guerrilla warfare, the Paki
caption: General Yahya Khan (left), with US President Richard Nixon
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