Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Life and Political Career

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Urdu: ذُوالفقارعلى بهُٹو‎, Sindhi: ذوالفقار علي ڀُٽو, IPA: [zʊlfɪqɑːɾ ɑli bʱʊʈːoː]) (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979) was a Pakistani politician and statesman who served as the 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that as the 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was educated at the University of Southern California, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, after which he trained as a barrister at Lincoln's Inn. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)— the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his execution in 1979.^[2] His eldest daughter, Benazir Bhutto, would also serve as Prime minister, while his son Murtaza Bhutto, served as member of Parliament of Pakistan.^[2] He was noted for his progressive economic initiatives, industrialization, education, energy and foreign policy, and his intellectualism.^[3] In addition to national security issues, Bhutto promoted his policies on the nationalization, health care, and social reforms.^[3] He entered national politics as one of President Iskander Mirza's cabinet members, before being assigned several ministries during President Ayub Khan's military rule from 1958. Appointed Foreign Minister in 1963. After the Tashkent Agreement, Bhutto fell out with Ayub and resigned. He founded the PPP in 1967, contesting general elections held by President Yahya Khan in 1970.

In the 1970 elections, the Awami League in East Pakistan won an absolute majority of all seats in Pakistan, while Bhutto won the majority of seats in West Pakistan. While the Yahya Khan regime was hesitantly willing to hand over power to the Awami League, Bhutto insisted that the PPP had to be granted key portfolios in a power sharing agreement. The Awami League's 6 points were a key issue, and eventually negotiations between the Awami League, the PPP and the Army broke down. A military crackdown on 26 March 1971 led to the secession of Bangladesh, and Pakistan losing the waragainst Bangladesh-allied India in 1971. Bhutto was handed over the presidency in December 1971 and emergency rule was imposed.

By July 1972, Bhutto had recovered 93,000 prisoners of war and 5,000 square miles of Indian-held territory after signing the Simla Agreement.^[3][4] He cemented a strategic relationship ties with China and expanded ties with Muslim world, recognised Bangladesh, and hosted the second Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Lahore in 1974.^[3] Domestically, under Bhutto's premiership saw parliament unanimously approve a new constitution in 1973,. He also played an integral role in initiating the country's atomic bomb project.^[5][6] A serious secessionist rebellion occurred in Balochistanprovince in 1973. In response, Bhutto ordered an armed intervention by the Pakistan Armed Forces, which eventually quelled the rebellion in 1978, as well as speeding up economic and political reform in the region.^[7] Bhutto and his party won the parliamentary elections held in 1977. However, in a successful coup d'état led by General Zia-ul-Haq under codename Operation Fair Play; Bhutto was removed from the office and was held in Central Jail Rawalpindi (CJR) as General Zia-ul-Haq proclaimed himself as Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan.^[8] In 1979, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was executed after the Supreme Court of Pakistan controversially sentenced him to death by hanging for authorising the murder of a political opponent, in a move that many believe was done under the hidden directives of Zia-ul-Haq.^[9] While Bhutto remains a contentious figure in Pakistan's short history, his ideas remains influential particularly in social and foreign policies, and at present, those ideas are still continues by the successive governments.^[10]

Early life

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came from a prominent Sindhi landowning family (see Bhutto family),^[11] born to Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto and Khursheed Begum née Lakhi Bai in his parent's residence nearLarkana.Bhutto's father was a prominent political figure in the Indian colonial government. He was their third child – their first one, Sikandar Ali, died from pneumonia at age seven in 1914 and the second child, Imdad Ali, died of cirrhosis at the age of 39 in 1953.^[12] His father was the prime minister of Junagadh State, and enjoyed an influential relationship with the officials of the British Raj. As a young boy, Bhutto moved to Worli Seaface in Bombay (now Mumbai) to study at the Cathedral and John Connon School. During this period, he also became a student activist in the social movement and nationalist league, the Pakistan Movement. In 1943, his marriage was arranged with Shireen Amir Begum (died 19 January 2003 in Karachi). He later left her, however, in order to remarry. In 1947, Bhutto was admitted to the University of Southern California to study political science.^[2]

In 1949, as college sophomore, Bhutto transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a B.A. (honours) degree in Political science in 1950.^[2] Here, Bhutto would become interested in the theories of socialism, delivering a series of lectures on the feasibility of socialism in Islamic countries. During this time, Bhutto's father, Sir Shahnawaz, played a controversial role in the affairs of the state of Junagadh (now in Gujarat). Coming to power in a palace coup as the dewan, he secured the accession of the state to Pakistan, which was ultimately negated by Indian intervention in December 1947.^[13] In June 1950, Bhutto travelled to the United Kingdom to study law at Christ Church— a constituent college of the University of Oxford— and received an LLB, followed by another advanced LLM degree in Law and M.Sc. (honours) degree in Political science.^[2] Upon finishing his studies, he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in the year 1953 (the same school at which Muhammad Ali Jinnah studied law).^[2]

Bhutto married his second wife, the Iranian-Kurdish Begum Nusrat Ispahani,^[14] in Karachi on 8 September 1951. Their first child, his daughter Benazir, was born in 1953. She was followed byMurtaza in 1954, a second daughter, Sanam, in 1957, and the youngest child, Shahnawaz Bhutto, in 1958. He accepted the post of lecturer at the Sindh Muslim College, from where he was also awarded an honorary doctorate —honoris causa— in law by the then college President, Hassanally Rahman before establishing himself in a legal practice in Karachi. He also took over the management of his family's estate and business interests after his father's death.

Political career

In 1957, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto became the youngest member of Pakistan's delegation to the United Nations. He addressed the United Nations Sixth Committee on Aggression on 25 October 1957 and led Pakistan's delegation to the first United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1958. That same year, Bhutto became the youngest Pakistan cabinet minister, on appointment to theMinistry of Water and Power by President Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who had seized power and declared martial law in a successful coup d'état.^[2] In 1960, he was promoted to Minister of theMinistry of Commerce, the Ministry of Communications, and the Ministry of Industry. Bhutto became a close and trusted political advisor to Field Marshal Ayub Khan, rising in influence and power despite his youth and relative inexperience in politics. Bhutto aided Ayub Khan in negotiating the Indus Water Treaty in India in 1960. In 1961, Bhutto negotiated an oil exploration agreement with the Soviet Union, which agreed to provide economic and technical aid to Pakistan.

Foreign Minister

Bhutto was a Pakistani nationalist and a socialist,^[15] with particular views on the type of democracy needed in Pakistan.^[16] On becoming Foreign Minister in 1963, his socialist viewpoint influenced him to embark on a close relationship with the neighbouring People's Republic of China.^[16] Bhutto adhered to the One-China policy.^[16] At the time, many other countries acceptedTaiwan as the legitimate single government of China, although two governments each claimed to be "China".^[16] In 1964, the Soviet Union and its satellite states broke off relations with Beijing over ideological differences, and only Albania and Pakistan supported the People's Republic of China. Bhutto staunchly supported Beijing in the UN, and in the UNSC, while also continuing to build bridges to the United States.^[16][17] Bhutto's strong advocacy of developing ties with China came under severe criticism from the United States. President Johnson wrote a letter to President Khan calling on him to fire Mr Bhutto and to only maintain ties with the "free world".^[18] As vibrant as he was, Bhutto addressed his speeches in a demagogic style and headed Ministry of Foreign Affairswith an aggressive leadership. His style of leading the Foreign Ministry and his swift rise to power brought him national prominence and popularity. Bhutto and his staff visited Beijing and were received by the Chinese with a warm welcome, and Bhutto greeted Mao Zedong with great respect.^[19] There, Bhutto helped Ayub negotiate trade and military agreements with the Chinese regime, which agreed to help Pakistan in a large number of military and industrial projects.^[19] Bhutto signed the Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement on 2 March 1963 that transferred 750 square kilometres of territory from Pakistan-administered Kashmir to Chinese control. Bhutto asserted his belief in non-alignment, making Pakistan an influential member in non-aligned organisations. Believing in Pan-Islamic unity, Bhutto developed closer relations with nations such as Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Bhutto significantly transformed Pakistan's hitherto pro-Western foreign policy. While maintaining a prominent role for Pakistan within the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization and the Central Treaty Organization, Bhutto began asserting a foreign policy course for Pakistan that was independent of U.S. influence. Meanwhile, Bhutto visited both East and West Germany and established a strong link between two countries.^[20] Bhutto proceeded economical, technological, industrial and military agreements with Germany. Bhutto strengthened Pakistan's strategic alliance with Germany.^[21] Bhutto addressed a farewell speech at theUniversity of Munich where he cited the importance of Pakistan and German relations.^[22] Bhutto then visited Poland and established diplomatic relations in 1962.^[23] Bhutto used Pakistan Air Force's Brigadier-General Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz to establish the military and economical link between Pakistan and Poland.^[24] Bhutto sought and reached to the Polish-Pakistan community in Pakistan and made a tremendous effort for a fresh avenues for mutual cooperation.

In 1962, a territorial differences increased between India and People's Republic of China, the Beijing was planning to stage an invasion in northern territories of India. Zhou Enlai, Chinese Premier and Mao Zedong invited Pakistan to join the raid and extricate the rest of Indian-held Kashmir from Indian control.^[16]Bhutto advocated for the plan, but President Ayub Khan oppose to plan he was feared of retreat by Indian troops.^[16] Instead Ayub Khan proposed a "joint defence union" with India,Bhutto was shocked by such statement and felt Ayub Khan was unlettered in international affairs . Bhutto was conscious that despite Pakistan's membership of anti-communist western alliances, China had refrained from criticising Pakistan. In 1962, the United States assured Pakistan that Kashmir will be resolved according to the wishes of Pakistanis and the Kashmiris. Therefore, Ayub Khan prevented Pakistan not took participate in Chinese plans.^[16] Bhutto criticised the U.S. for providing military aid to India during and after the Sino-Indian War of 1962, which was seen as an abrogation of Pakistan's alliance with the United States^[25] Meanwhile, Indian Prime minister Nehru reneged on his policies. When Ayub Khan recognised his mistake, Khan commenced the Gibraltar, a failed airborne operation. The operation brutally failed and Indian Armed Forces attacked West-Pakistan with a full-scale war.^[16]

This war was an aftermath of brief skirmishes that took place between March and August 1965 on the international boundaries in the Rann of Kutch,Kashmir and Punjab. Bhutto joined Ayub in Tashkent to negotiate a peace treaty with the Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Ayub and Shastri agreed to exchange prisoners of war and withdraw respective forces to pre-war boundaries. This agreement was deeply unpopular in Pakistan, causing major political unrest against Ayub's regime. Bhutto's criticism of the final agreement caused a major rift between him and Ayub Khan. Initially denying the rumours, Bhutto resigned in June 1966 and expressed strong opposition to Ayub's regime.^[25] During his term, Bhutto was known to be formulating aggressive geostrategic and foreign policies towards India.^[26] In 1965, Bhutto's friend Munir Ahmad Khan had notified the status of Indian nuclear programme and an ambitious intention to build a nuclear weapon, which it did in 1974 (see Operation Smiling Buddha), Bhutto, in 1965, reportedly saying, unofficially:

Pakistan will fight, fight for a thousand years. If.. India builds the (Atom) bomb.... (Pakistan) will eat grass or (leaves), even go hungry, but we (Pakistan) will get one of our own (Atom bomb).... We (Pakistan) have no other Choice!...

—Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, 1965, statement issued October 1965, ^[26]

In his book, The Myth of Independence, published in 1969.^[26] One of the notable thesis in the book was the necessity for Pakistan to acquire the fission weapon, and start a deterrence programme to be able to stand against the industrialised states, and against a nuclear armed India.^[26] Bhutto obtained a manifesto and made a future policy on how the programme would be developed and which individual scientists would be carry upon the starting of the programme, Bhutto selected Munir Ahmad Khan and Abdus Salam as the first and main basis of the programme.^[26][27]

Pakistan Peoples Party

Further information: Pakistani general election, 1970, Bangladesh Liberation War, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and Pakistan Peoples Party

Following his resignation, large crowds gathered to listen to Bhutto's speech upon his arrival in Lahore on 21 June 1967. Tapping a wave of anger and opposition against Ayub, Bhutto began travelling across the country to deliver political speeches. In a speech in October 1966 Bhutto declared the PPP's beliefs, "Islam is our faith, democracy is our policy, socialism is our economy. All power to the people."^[28] On 30 November 1967, in a residence of Dr. Mubashir Hassan, Bhutto, along with Bengali communist J.A. Rahim and Dr. Mubashir Hassan, Basit Jehangir Sheikh and other young leaders founded the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Lahore, establishing a strong base of political support in Punjab, Sindh and amongst the Muhajir communities.^[29]

Dr. Hassan, a professor of civil engineering at the UET Lahore, was the main brain and hidden hand behind the success and the rise of Bhutto.^[29] Under Hassan's guidance and Bhutto's leadership, Bhutto's People's Party became a part of the pro-democracy movement involving diverse political parties from all across Pakistan.^[29] The PPP activists staged large protests and strikes in different parts of the country, increasing pressure on Ayub to resign.^[29] Dr. Hassan and Bhutto's arrest on 12 November 1969, sparked greater political unrest.^[29] After his release, Bhutto, joined by key leaders of PPP, attended the Round Table Conference called by Ayub Khan in Rawalpindi, but refused to accept Ayub's continuation in office and the East-Pakistanipolitician Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Six point movement for regional autonomy.^[29]

Following Ayub's resignation, his successor, General Yahya Khan promised to hold parliamentary elections on 7 December 1970.^[29] Bhutto attracted the leftist and ultra-leftist forces, who gathered under his leadership, becoming the full sum of force.^[29] The Socialist-Communist mass, under Bhutto's leadership, intensified its support in Muhajir and poor farming communities in West Pakistan, working through educating people to cast their vote for their better future.^[29] Gathering and uniting the scattered socialist-marxist mass in one single center was considered Bhutto's greatest political achievements and as its result, the leftist and Bhutto's party won a large number of seats from constituencies in West-Pakistan.^[28] However, Sheikh Mujib's Awami League won an absolute majority in the legislature, receiving more than twice as many votes as Bhutto's PPP. Bhutto refused to accept an Awami League government and famously promised to "break the legs" of any elected PPP member who dared to attend the inaugural session of the National Assembly.^[29] Capitalising on West Pakistani fears of East Pakistani separatism, Bhutto demanded that Sheikh Mujib form a coalition with the PPP.^[30] According to terrorism expert Hamid Mir, Bhutto sent his most trusted companion to East Pakistan to meet with Mujib and his inner circle, played a major role convincing Mujib to meet Bhutto.^[29] After Dr. Hassan achieved this task, Bhutto and Mujib agreed upon a coalition government for the sake of keeping Pakistan united. Under the terms of the deal, Mujib would have become prime minister and Bhutto would have succeeded Yahya as president.^[29][30] Yahya was unaware of these talks, and both Bhutto and Mujib kept substantial pressure on Yahya Khan.^[30] After his own talks with Sheikh Mujib failed, Yahya postponed the opening session of the National Assembly and ordered an army action against Mujib.^[28][30] Amidst popular outrage in East Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib declared the independence of "Bangladesh". According to historical references and a report published by leading newspaper, "Mujib no longer^[31] believed in Pakistan and was determined to make Bangladesh", despite Bhutto's urged.^[31] His daughter Hasina Wajid has not accepted Pakistan from the core of heart even today.^[31] As long as she is the prime minister, relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan cannot normalise, The Nation noted.^[31]

On 26 March 1971 after Mujib was arrested by the Pakistan Army, which had been ordered by Yahya to suppress political activities.^[29][32] While supportive of the army's actions and working to rally international support, Bhutto distanced himself from the Yahya regime and began to criticised Khan for mishandling the situation.^[30] He refused to accept Yahya's scheme to appoint Bengali politician Nurul Amin as Prime minister, with Bhutto as deputy prime minister.^[30] Soon after his refusal and continuous resentment toward General Yahya Khan's mishandling of situation, General Yahya Khan ordered Military Police to arrest Bhutto for a treason charges, a quiet similar to Mujib.^[30] Bhutto was situated at the Adiala Jail along with Mujib where he was set to face the charges.^[30] The Indian intervention in East Pakistan led to the very bitter defeat of Pakistani forces, who surrendered on 16 December 1971. Bhutto and others condemned Yahya for failing to protect Pakistan's unity.^[30] Isolated, Yahya resigned on 20 December and transferred power to Bhutto, who became president, commander-in-chief and the first civilian chief martial law administrator.^[28]

Bhutto was the country's first civilian chief martial law administrator since 1958, as well as the country's first civilian president.^[28] With Bhutto assuming the control, the leftists and democratic socialists entered in county's politics, later emerged as power players in country's politics. And, for the first time in country's history, the leftists and democratic socialists had a chance to administer the country with popular vote and wide approved exclusive mandate, given to them by the West's population in the 1970s elections.^[28]

In a reference written by Kuldip Nayar in his book "Scoop! Inside Stories from the Partition to the Present", Nayar noted that "Bhutto's releasing of Mujib did not mean anything to Pakistan's policy as in if there was no liberation war.^[33] Bhutto's policy, and even as of today, the policy of Pakistan continues to state that "she will continue to fight for the honor and integrity of Pakistan. East Pakistan is an inseparable and unseverable part of Pakistan".^[33]

Leader of Pakistan

By the time Bhutto had assumed control of what remained of Pakistan, the nation was completely isolated, angered, and demoralized. As President, Bhutto addressed the nation via radio and television, saying:

My dear countrymen, my dear friends, my dear students, labourers, peasants... those who fought for Pakistan... We are facing the worst crisis in our country's life, a deadly crisis. We have to pick up the pieces, very small pieces, but we will make a new Pakistan, a prosperous and progressive Pakistan, a Pakistan free of exploitation, a Pakistan envisaged by the Quaid-e-Azam.

—Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, 1971, ^[34]

As President, Bhutto faced with mounted and eminent challenges in both internal and foreign fronts.^[35] The trauma was severe in Pakistan, a psychological setback and emotional breakdown for Pakistan.^[35] The Two-Nation Theory — the theoretical base in which Pakistan was found and established – was brutally questioned, and Pakistan's foreign policy collapsed when no moral support was found anywhere, including from her own long standing allies, particularly the United States and the People's Republic of China.^[35] Since her creation, the physical and moral existence of Pakistan was in great danger.^[35] At an internal front, the Baloch, Sindhi, and the Pashtun nationalism was at its peak point, calling for their independence from Pakistan.^[35] Founding as difficult as to keep remaining Pakistan as united, Bhutto launched full fledged intelligence and extensive military operations.^[35] By the end of 1978, these nationalist organizations were brutally quelled by Pakistan Armed Forces.^[35]

Bhutto immediately placed General Yahya Khan under house arrest, brokered a ceasefire and ordered the release of Sheikh Mujib, who was held prisoner by the Pakistan Army. To implement this, Bhutto reversed the verdict of Mujib's court-martial trial that had taken place earlier, in which the presiding by the JAG Branch's military judge Brigadier-General Rahimuddin Khan (later 4-star General) had sentenced Mujib to death. Appointing a new cabinet, Bhutto appointed Lieutenant-General Gul Hasan as Chief of Army Staff. On 2 January 1972 Bhutto announced the nationalisation of all major industries, including iron and steel, heavy engineering, heavy electricals, petrochemicals, cement and public utilities.^[36] A new labour policy was announced increasing workers rights and the power of trade unions. Although he came from a feudal background himself, Bhutto announced reforms limiting land ownership and a government take-over of over a million acres (4,000 km²) to distribute to landless peasants. More than 2,000 civil servants were dismissed on charges of corruption.^[36] Bhutto also dismissed the military chiefs on 3 March after they refused orders to suppress a major police strike in Punjab. He appointed General Tikka Khan as the new Chief of the Army Staff in March 1972 as he felt the General would not interfere in political matters and would concentrate on rehabilitating the Pakistan Army. Bhutto convened the National Assembly on 14 April, rescinded martial law on 21 April and charged the legislators with writing a new constitution.

Bhutto visited India to meet Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and negotiated a formal peace agreement and the release of 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war. The two leaders signed the Shimla Agreement, which committed both nations to establish a new yet temporary Cease-fire Line in Kashmir and obligated them to resolve disputes peacefully through bilateral talks.^[36][37] Bhutto also promised to hold a future summit for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute and pledged to recognise Bangladesh.^[37] Although he secured the release of Pakistani soldiers held by India, Bhutto was criticised by many in Pakistan for allegedly making too many concessions to India. It is theorised that Bhutto feared his downfall if he could not secure the release of Pakistani soldiers and the return of territory occupied by Indian forces.^[38] Bhutto established an atomic power development programme and inaugurated the first Pakistani atomic reactor, built in collaboration with Canada in Karachi on 28 November. On 30 March 59 military officers were arrested by army troops for allegedly plotting a coup against Bhutto, who appointed then-Brigadier Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq to head a military tribunal to investigate and try the suspects. The National Assembly approved the new constitution, which Bhutto signed into effect on 12 April. The constitution proclaimed an "Islamic Republic" in Pakistan with a parliamentary form of government.^[39] On 10 August, Bhutto turned over the post of president to Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry, assuming the office of prime minister instead.^[36]

Bhutto officially recognised Bangladesh in July. Making an official visit to Bangladesh, Bhutto was criticised in Pakistan for laying flowers at a memorial for Bangladeshi freedom fighters. Bhutto continued to develop closer relations with China as well as Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations. Bhutto hosted the Second Islamic Summit of Muslim nations in Lahore between 22 and 24 February 1974.

Bhutto, however, faced considerable pressure from Islamic religious leaders to declare the Ahmadiya communities as non-Muslims. Failing to restrain sectarian violence and rioting, Bhutto and the National Assembly amended the constitution to that effect. Bhutto intensified his nationalisation programme, extending government control over agricultural processing and consumer industries. Bhutto also started the planning of Port Qasim, designed to expand harbour and naval facilities near Karachi. However, the performance of the Pakistani economy declined amidst increasing bureaucracy and a decline in private sector confidence. Bhutto re-organized and re-established the Pakistan Armed Forces as he had promised to his nation to build a professional and well-trained military. Bhutto disbanded the ranks of Commander-in-Chief in the Pakistan Armed Forces as well as re-organized country's intelligence services. As part of this vision, Bhutto upgraded naval rank for Chief of Naval Staff, and appointed Admiral Mohammad Shariff as Navy's first 4-star admiral. Bhutto did the same for the Air Force, and appointed Zulfiqar Ali Khan as first 4-star general in the Air Force. In meantime, Bhutto also created the office of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the chairmanship of this post was given to 4-star General Muhammad Shariff. In a surprise move in 1976, Bhutto appointed General Zia-ul-Haq to replace General Tikka Khan as Chief of Army Staff, surpassing five generals senior to Zia.^[40]

President of Pakistan

Richard Nixon and Bhutto in 1973

A Pakistan International Airlines flight was sent to fetch Bhutto from New York, who at that time was presenting Pakistan's case before the United Nations Security Council on the East Pakistan Crises. Bhutto returned home on 18 December 1971. On 20 December, he was taken to the President House in Rawalpindi where he took over two positions from Yahya Khan, one as President and the other as first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator, thus he was the first civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator of the dismembered Pakistan.

The new President inherited a disheartened war-weary nation. In this dark hour, he addressed the nation and promised to fight back. Bhutto's intentions to restore national confidence were in several shapes. He spoke about democracy, a new Constitution, and a modified federal and parliamentary system. He reached out to opposition leaders Abdul Wali Khan and Mufti Mahmud, signing an agreement regarding lifting the emergency and allowing opposition governments to be formed. He took steps to stabilise the situation by successfully negotiating the return of the 93,000 prisoners of war and a peaceful settlement with India. He took steps to ameliorate poverty and to revitalise the economy, industry and agriculture.

He gave the third Constitution to the country and established civilian authority over the armed forces in the political setup. In early 1972, Bhutto nationalised ten categories of major industries and withdrew Pakistan from the Commonwealth of Nations and S.E.A.T.O. On 1 March, he introduced extensive land reforms. On 2 July 1972, he signed the Simla Agreement with India outmanoeuvring the Indian Delegation and secured the exchange of the occupied territories and release of Prisoners of War.

After the 1973 Constitution was promulgated, Pakistan changed from a presidential system to a parliamentary one. Bhutto was duly elected by the House to be the Prime Minister, and he was sworn in on 14 August 1973.