Md Akmal
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The political history of Pakistan from 1947 to 1970 witnessed no general elections. Thus, when Yahya's Regime decided to hold the first general elections on the basis of adult franchise at national level, they were not only required to make a new mechanism but were also required to set up a permanent election machinery. A three-member Election Commission was set up and Justice Abdus Sattar, a Bengalee was appointed as the first Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan. This Sattar in 1973 fled from Rawalpindi to Kabul and then towards India and finally came to Bangladesh. It was this Sattar who was picked up by Zia and made a Vice-President of Bangladesh later as elected President.(1980/81)
The first task before the Election Commission was to enroll as voters all citizens of Pakistan who were at least 21-years old on October 1, 1969. The electoral rolls were put before the masses for corrections on January 16, 1970, and after necessary amendments, the final list was published on March 17. The total registered voters in the country were 56,941,500 out of which 31,211,220 were from the Eastern Wing, while 25,730,280 from the Western Wing. The Election Commission also marked the constituencies, in accordance with the seats allocated for the National and Provincial Assemblies under Legal Framework Order, 1970. One hundred and ninety nine Returning Officers were appointed for the National Assembly and 285 Returning Officers were appointed for the Provincial Assemblies.
Twenty four political parties participated in the elections. They were allowed to begin their election campaigns from January 1, 1970. The public meetings of Awami League in Bengal and Pakistan Peoples Party in the Punjab and Sindh attracted huge crowds. Awami League mobilized support on the basis of its Six-Points Program, which was the main attraction in the party's manifesto. While Z. A. Bhutto's personality, his socialistic ideas and his slogan of "Rotti, Kapra aur Makan", meaning food, clothing and shelter, were the factors that contributed to the popularity of Pakistan Peoples Party. The rightist parties raised the religious slogans, while the leftists raised slogans based on regional and communistic ideas.
A total 1,957 candidates filed their nomination papers for 300 National Assembly seats. While after scrutiny and withdrawals, 1,579 contested the elections eventually. None of the political parties filed nominations of their candidates on all the seats. Awami League nominated 170 candidates out of which 162 were for the constituencies in East Pakistan. The party that filed second highest number of candidates was Jamaat-i-Islami. It filed 151 candidates. There were only 120 candidates contesting the elections on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party, out of which 103 were from the constituencies in the Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan Peoples Party didn't nominate a single candidate from East Pakistan. Convention Muslim League nominated 124 candidates, Council Muslim League 119 and Qayyum Muslim League 133.
According to the original schedule, polling for the National Assembly was to be held on October 5 and for the Provincial Assemblies on October 19. However, due to the floods in the East Pakistan, the dates were changed to December 7 and 17, respectively. Elections on nine National Assembly and 18 Provincial Assembly seats, however, could not be held on these dates because of the cyclone that hit a large part of East Pakistan. Elections for these seats were held on January 17, 1971.
According to the results of the elections, Awami League emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly by winning 160 seats. It was also able to win 288 out of 300 seats in the East Pakistan Assembly. However, the party failed to win even a single seat in the four Provincial Assemblies of West Pakistan. Pakistan Peoples Party managed to win 81 out of 138 seats reserved for West Pakistan in the National Assembly. The party also performed well in the Provincial Assembly polls of the Punjab and Sindh Assemblies
.
The election results showed that the rightist parties were completely routed. The biggest reason for this was the division of votes among several candidates on almost every seat. Qayyum Muslim League, Council Muslim League, Convention Muslim League, Jamiyat-i-Ulema-i-Islam, Jamiyat-i-Ulema-i-Pakistan and Jamaat-i-Islami as a whole could only secure 37 National Assembly seats. National Awami Party and Jamiyat-i-Ulema-i-Islam emerged as the prominent parties in the N. W. F. P and Baluchistan Assemblies.
The only people who came forward against AL in East Pakistan were the rightists like Khwaza Khairuddin of the Council Muslim League, Fazlul Qader Chaudhry of the Convention Muslim League, Khan Sobur A Khan of the Qayyum Muslim League, Professor Ghulam Azam of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Maulvi Farid Ahmed of the Nizam-i-Islam Party.
Comments
@ According to my judgment, the general election of 1970 was not totally free and fair. It was learnt that Yahya had a secret dealing with AL that if they win possibly they would keep Yahya as the President of Pakistan. In return, Yahya would give all possible help to Mujib like free hand in campaigning his six points demand.
@ As per Yahyas version Mujib promised him to modify six points demand after the election as per the requirement for the existence of Federation of Pakistan. But after the election Mujib was a complete changed man. Since Mujib background was a ex-Muslim Leaquer so he never wanted a dismemberment of Pakistan in total. On the other hand since he had a link with Indian RAW and his most of the key workers/followers were left oriented did not wanted to remain within Pakistan. So, Mujib was under tremendous pressure. During those days American administration also played a dubious role. Due to the political reason since 1962 once China attacked India it was USA who sponsored Mujib but soon once Nixon came to power their policy towards India and Mujib also changed. After the election the American Ambassador clearly told Mujib that whatever you should do it should be within the frame- work of united Pakistan.
@ The pro-Pakistani vote were divided among the three Muslim Leaque like Council Muslim Leaque, Qayyum Muslim Leaque and Convention Muslim Leaque, Pakistan Democratic Party(PDP) of Nurul Amin, Jamaat-e-Islami and Nizam-i-Islami. The other most important political party NAP(Bashani) did not participated the election. So, Mujib had a free hand in the election field. He manipulated the election to the fullest extend.
@ During those days Convention Muslim Leaque of Fazlul Qader Chaudhry was also very powerful but his hands were also very tight as because Yahya freezes off all the central fund of Convention Muslim Leaque.
@ In the true sense Yahya also did not wanted the Convention Muslim Leaque come to power again as it was he who silently overthrew Ayub through military coup. Yahya also had a secret dealing with Bhutto.
@ None of the above rightist political parties did got free hand to campaign their election manifesto. On 18 January 1970 once Moulana Modudi visited East Pakistan and planned for a central political meeting at Palton at Dacca soon its meeting was demolished by the AL militants. In that meeting 3 to 5 people were killed and nearly 500 people were seriously injured. Yahyas military regime did no action rather the local newspapers blamed it to the Jamaat itself. It was the end of Jamaat-e- Islamis election campaign in East Pakistan. On 24/26 January 1970, Convention Muslim Leaque(FQ Chow) planned for a central meeting at palton but AL militants also demolished the meeting killing 3/5 person and injuring 300 people.
@ Even during the voting day many polling booths were captured and other polling agents were thrown out silently by the AL militants. In many places many Presiding Officers openly campaigned in favour of ALs candidates. For all these activities the whole military and civil administration of Pakistan remained silent.
The first task before the Election Commission was to enroll as voters all citizens of Pakistan who were at least 21-years old on October 1, 1969. The electoral rolls were put before the masses for corrections on January 16, 1970, and after necessary amendments, the final list was published on March 17. The total registered voters in the country were 56,941,500 out of which 31,211,220 were from the Eastern Wing, while 25,730,280 from the Western Wing. The Election Commission also marked the constituencies, in accordance with the seats allocated for the National and Provincial Assemblies under Legal Framework Order, 1970. One hundred and ninety nine Returning Officers were appointed for the National Assembly and 285 Returning Officers were appointed for the Provincial Assemblies.
Twenty four political parties participated in the elections. They were allowed to begin their election campaigns from January 1, 1970. The public meetings of Awami League in Bengal and Pakistan Peoples Party in the Punjab and Sindh attracted huge crowds. Awami League mobilized support on the basis of its Six-Points Program, which was the main attraction in the party's manifesto. While Z. A. Bhutto's personality, his socialistic ideas and his slogan of "Rotti, Kapra aur Makan", meaning food, clothing and shelter, were the factors that contributed to the popularity of Pakistan Peoples Party. The rightist parties raised the religious slogans, while the leftists raised slogans based on regional and communistic ideas.
A total 1,957 candidates filed their nomination papers for 300 National Assembly seats. While after scrutiny and withdrawals, 1,579 contested the elections eventually. None of the political parties filed nominations of their candidates on all the seats. Awami League nominated 170 candidates out of which 162 were for the constituencies in East Pakistan. The party that filed second highest number of candidates was Jamaat-i-Islami. It filed 151 candidates. There were only 120 candidates contesting the elections on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party, out of which 103 were from the constituencies in the Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan Peoples Party didn't nominate a single candidate from East Pakistan. Convention Muslim League nominated 124 candidates, Council Muslim League 119 and Qayyum Muslim League 133.
According to the original schedule, polling for the National Assembly was to be held on October 5 and for the Provincial Assemblies on October 19. However, due to the floods in the East Pakistan, the dates were changed to December 7 and 17, respectively. Elections on nine National Assembly and 18 Provincial Assembly seats, however, could not be held on these dates because of the cyclone that hit a large part of East Pakistan. Elections for these seats were held on January 17, 1971.
According to the results of the elections, Awami League emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly by winning 160 seats. It was also able to win 288 out of 300 seats in the East Pakistan Assembly. However, the party failed to win even a single seat in the four Provincial Assemblies of West Pakistan. Pakistan Peoples Party managed to win 81 out of 138 seats reserved for West Pakistan in the National Assembly. The party also performed well in the Provincial Assembly polls of the Punjab and Sindh Assemblies
.
The election results showed that the rightist parties were completely routed. The biggest reason for this was the division of votes among several candidates on almost every seat. Qayyum Muslim League, Council Muslim League, Convention Muslim League, Jamiyat-i-Ulema-i-Islam, Jamiyat-i-Ulema-i-Pakistan and Jamaat-i-Islami as a whole could only secure 37 National Assembly seats. National Awami Party and Jamiyat-i-Ulema-i-Islam emerged as the prominent parties in the N. W. F. P and Baluchistan Assemblies.
The only people who came forward against AL in East Pakistan were the rightists like Khwaza Khairuddin of the Council Muslim League, Fazlul Qader Chaudhry of the Convention Muslim League, Khan Sobur A Khan of the Qayyum Muslim League, Professor Ghulam Azam of the Jamaat-e-Islami and Maulvi Farid Ahmed of the Nizam-i-Islam Party.
Comments
@ According to my judgment, the general election of 1970 was not totally free and fair. It was learnt that Yahya had a secret dealing with AL that if they win possibly they would keep Yahya as the President of Pakistan. In return, Yahya would give all possible help to Mujib like free hand in campaigning his six points demand.
@ As per Yahyas version Mujib promised him to modify six points demand after the election as per the requirement for the existence of Federation of Pakistan. But after the election Mujib was a complete changed man. Since Mujib background was a ex-Muslim Leaquer so he never wanted a dismemberment of Pakistan in total. On the other hand since he had a link with Indian RAW and his most of the key workers/followers were left oriented did not wanted to remain within Pakistan. So, Mujib was under tremendous pressure. During those days American administration also played a dubious role. Due to the political reason since 1962 once China attacked India it was USA who sponsored Mujib but soon once Nixon came to power their policy towards India and Mujib also changed. After the election the American Ambassador clearly told Mujib that whatever you should do it should be within the frame- work of united Pakistan.
@ The pro-Pakistani vote were divided among the three Muslim Leaque like Council Muslim Leaque, Qayyum Muslim Leaque and Convention Muslim Leaque, Pakistan Democratic Party(PDP) of Nurul Amin, Jamaat-e-Islami and Nizam-i-Islami. The other most important political party NAP(Bashani) did not participated the election. So, Mujib had a free hand in the election field. He manipulated the election to the fullest extend.
@ During those days Convention Muslim Leaque of Fazlul Qader Chaudhry was also very powerful but his hands were also very tight as because Yahya freezes off all the central fund of Convention Muslim Leaque.
@ In the true sense Yahya also did not wanted the Convention Muslim Leaque come to power again as it was he who silently overthrew Ayub through military coup. Yahya also had a secret dealing with Bhutto.
@ None of the above rightist political parties did got free hand to campaign their election manifesto. On 18 January 1970 once Moulana Modudi visited East Pakistan and planned for a central political meeting at Palton at Dacca soon its meeting was demolished by the AL militants. In that meeting 3 to 5 people were killed and nearly 500 people were seriously injured. Yahyas military regime did no action rather the local newspapers blamed it to the Jamaat itself. It was the end of Jamaat-e- Islamis election campaign in East Pakistan. On 24/26 January 1970, Convention Muslim Leaque(FQ Chow) planned for a central meeting at palton but AL militants also demolished the meeting killing 3/5 person and injuring 300 people.
@ Even during the voting day many polling booths were captured and other polling agents were thrown out silently by the AL militants. In many places many Presiding Officers openly campaigned in favour of ALs candidates. For all these activities the whole military and civil administration of Pakistan remained silent.
