Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto

Personal Details

Name: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Date of Birth: January 5, 1928
Father’s Name: Sir Shahnawaz Khan Bhutto
Place of Birth: Larkana District
Mother’s Name: Lady Khursheed Begum
Mother Tongue: Sindhi
Marriage: Married at Karachi to Ms Nusrat Ispahani September 8, 1951.
Childern: Benazir Bhutto – 1953 – 2007 Murtaza Bhutto – 1954 – 1996 Sanam Bhutto – 1957 Shahnawaz Bhutto – 1958 – 1985

Education

  • Cathedral School, Bombay – 1937 – 1947
  • Joined University of Southern California – 1947
  • Transferred to Berkely Campus of USC – 1949
  • First Asian to be elected to Berkely Student Council
  • Graduated with Honours in Political Science – 1950
  • Admitted to Christ Church College, Oxford – 1950
  • Graduated with Honours from Oxford University – 1952
  • Called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn – 1953
  • Lecturer of Sindh Muslim Law College – 1954
  • Member of Pakistan Delegation to the United Nations – 1957
  • Addressed the United Nations Sixth Committee on Aggression – October 25, 1957
  • Leader of Pakistan Delegation to United Nations Conference on the Law of the Seas, addressed the Conference on the Freedom of the Seas.- March – 1958

Ministerial Career

  • Minister of Commerce – 1958
  • Minister for Information and National Reconstruction – 1959
  • Minister for Fuel, Power and Natural Resources – 1960
  • Leader of Pakistan Delegation to the UN – 1959, 1960, 1963 & 1965 Statement in support of Algeria against French Imperialism at UN – 1959
  • Leader of Pakistan Delegation to Moscow to negotiate agreement on Oil and Gas Exploration with Soviet Union with 120 Million Roubles credit – 1960
  • Led Pakistan’s Delegation to UN and differed with US by not voting against China’s Membership – 1960
  • Foreign Minister of Pakistan – 1963 – 1965
  • Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement, gaining 750 Square Miles for Pakistan 2nd March – 1963
  • Famous Speech at the U.N. Security Council “We will wage a war for a thousand years” – 22-23 September 1965
  • Resigned from the Federal Cabinet – June, 1966

Peoples Party

  • Historic welcome in Lahore after resignation as Foreign Minister – 21st June, 1966
  • Manifesto of Pakistan Peoples Party prepared
  • “Islam is our Faith, Democracy is our Policy, Socialism is our Economy, All Power to the People”. October, 1966
  • Foundation of Pakistan Peoples Party, Lahore – 30th November, 1967
  • Led Mass Movement for Restoration of Democracy – 1968
  • Arrested for creating disaffection against Government – November 12, 1968
  • Landslide victory for PPP in 1970 elections in present day Pakistan – December 7, 1970

President / Prime Minister

  • Economic Reforms Order Nationalisation of Key Industries – January 3, 1972
  • Announcement of Labour Policies – February 10, 1972
  • Workers would participate in Profits
  • Old Age Pensions and Group Insurance
  • Land Reforms – 1st March, 1973
  • Ceiling reduced from 500 Acres to 150 Acres of irrigated land and 1000 Acres to 300 Acres for semi-irrigated land. All lands in excess of 100 Acres allocated to Govt. Servants confiscated and redistributed.
  • The Law Reform Ordinance – giving effect to the recommendations of the Law Reforms Commission. – 14th April, 1972
  • Martial Law Lifted 21st April, 1972
  • Simla Agreement Signed
  • Pakistan to get back 5000 square miles of territory occupied in 1971 war. India and Pakistan to respect line of control in Kashmir without prejudice to Pakistan’s claim. – 2nd July, 1972
  • National Book Foundation established – 24th September, 1972
  • Inaugurated Pakistan’s first Nuclear Power Plant at Karachi. – 28th November, 1972
  • Establishment of NDFC – 5th February, 1973
  • Establishment of Quaid-E-Azam University – 9th February, 1973
  • Constitution of Pakistan passed unanimously – 12th April, 1973
  • Establishment of Port Qasim Authority – 27th June, 1973
  • Elected Prime Minister of Pakistan – 14th August, 1973
  • Identity Cards for Citizens – 28th July, 1973
  • Agreement for repatriation of 93,000 POWs – 28th August, 1973
  • Administrative Reforms Order – September, 1973
  • Laid Foundation Stone of Pakistan Steel Mill – 30th December, 1973
  • Nationalisation of Banks – 1st January, 1974
  • Establishment of Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan – 01 May 1974
  • Establishment of Allama Iqbal Open University – 21st May, 1974
  • Islamic Summit at Lahore – 22 February, 1975
  • Inaugurated Pakistan’s First Seerat Conference – 3rd March, 1976
  • Kissinger warned Zulfikar Ali Bhutto that if Pakistan continued with its nuclear programme “the Prime Minister would have to pay a heavy price.” – August, 1976
  • Bhutto proposed a Third World Summit – September, 1976

Betrayal and Assassination

General Elections were held on March 7, 1977. PPP emerged as the victorious Party. At the behest of General Ziaul Haq, PNA accused government of so-called rigging in the elections. Negotiations with PNA resumed. An Agreement was reached on June 8, 1977 for holding Fresh Elections on October 8, 1977. On July 5, 1977 COAS General Ziaul Haq imposed Martial Law unilaterally. The National Assembly, the Senate and Provincial Assemblies were dissolved and Constitution held in abeyance. Zia’s Military Junta established a dummy government of PNA with CMLA as President. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto arrested on July, 5, 1977 and released on July 28, 1977. Re-arrested on September 3, 1977 from Clifton, Karachi, on the charges of a fabricated murder case; again released on September 13, 1977 against Lahore High Court bail. Re-arrested at Larkana on September 17, 1977. On September, 1977 the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Justice Yakub Ali Khan was suspended from service because he had admitted Mrs. Nusrat Bhuto’s Petition challenging imposition of martial law. On October 9, 1977, Maulvi Mushtaq, Chief Justice, Lahore High Court, cancelled the bail already granted to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by LHC. Mercilessly and despicably murdered on April 4, 1979.