Early morning on 5 July 1977 Pakistan came under the boots, COAS Gen Ziaul Haq deposed the elected government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and clamped Martial Law in the country after weeks of street protests by the opposition parties. In the evening he addressed the nation and promised to hold national elections within 90 days as required by the Constitution. A day earlier the negotiating team of the government and opposition had reached an agreement on holding fresh national elections yet the Sipah-e-Salar decided to defy the constitutional limits.
ZAB was moved to the Murree Governor’s house under protective custody. Within the Army there was resistance to the move, it was considered an operation conducted mainly by Zia and Lt Gen Faiz Ali Chisty, the Corps Commander Rawalpindi. I personally had the chance of meeting the senior most officer Gen Muhammad Sharif, who was the CJCS (Chairman Joint Chief of Staff). Unlike Zia, General Sharif was a professional soldier with an outstanding service record. He lived in his very basic house in Westridge.
I asked him a direct question; “Why did you support the takeover”? In his own words; “I was against the move, called Zia and asked him to return to the barracks. He promised to hold elections within the stipulated period and requested me to continue till then. On the 91st day when elections were not held, I stopped going to the office”. In the Supreme Cournat Zia admitted that he decided to take over as he was being removed as Sipah-e-Salar.
Zia held office for over 11 years on the promise of holding elections. He had to be blown up in mid-air to end his rule and revive the democratic order. The Wagon Route from Faysal Mosque where his parts are buried is chanted by conductors as; “Jabrha (Jaw) Chowk to Bomb Factory (PINSTECH Nilore). He came up with all the excuses in the book to prolong his misrule (Islami Nizam, Positive results, Pehlay Ehtesab, Referendum etc). In Punjab he launched his brand of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) while in Karachi he founded the militant Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM). He aAlso decided to indulge in the US war in Afghanistan against the USSR
The establishment had erred again. The battle is now being fought for civilian supremacy. The ‘Zia Legacy’ can no longer be kept alive. Another free and fair election in 2023 will perhaps bury the dead for all times to come.
On the second day of the new year when I heard PML(N) stalwart and federal minister Javed Latif utter “Pehlay Ethesab” (First accountability) I was reminded of the fact that ” Zia Bhi Zinda Hai (Zia is still alive) even over 34 years after his violent demise. His misdeeds continue to haunt us till today.
While ZAB’s party ceased to exist after the assassination of Benazir, the current leadership continues to chant the slogan; “Jiye Bhutto” (Long live Bhutto) which has now become a brand for them to win votes. While on the other hand the ‘Zia Doctrine’ is alive and kicking as well through his proteges. The usurper used the state apparatus against the will of the people to extend his misrule. The ‘Zia Doctrine’ is repeatedly used to thwart the will of the people. In 1993, when the government of Nawaz Sharif was restored by the Nasim Hasan Shah-led Supreme Court, he went straight to the grave of his ‘political godfather’ and mentor to offer fateha despite the fact that he was removed through the draconian Zia amendment’s Article 58(2b). I was compelled to write an article titled; ” Victory of Restoration ” to remind him of the ‘Zia Dark Ages’ that deshaped the unanimously agreed constitution of 1973.
Pakistan has a history of constitutional crises. Recently a book has been published, The Miracle of Philidelphia, which narrates the story of constitution-making in USA in the late 18th century. Colonized nations find it hard to reach an agreement between the rulers and the ruled. Dictators have played havoc with our constitution. Personally I think the story of the making of the 1973 consensual document remains untold and unappreciated by the remnants of these dictatorships.
During the hay days of Altaf Hussain, another Zia find, I read an interesting wall-chalking in Karachi “Quaid Hum Sharminda Hain Aapke Dushman Zinda Hain” (O leader we are ashamed that your enemies are still alive). Since then a lot of water has flown under the bridge. The vigillantes of the MQM Quaid no longer control the streets of the city, and he himself lives in self-exile in London. Currently efforts are in place to unite and revive the MQM which is an effort to keep the ‘Zia Doctrine’ alive. Perhaps the tussle between two dead men (Bhutto, Zia) is about to be re-ignited decades after their demise.
Zia’s takeover in July 1977 has been discussed by various scholars. It is widely believed that Zia waited in the wings until he was convinced that Bhutto had lost his public support. He went to meet his former boss in Murree where Bhutto gave him a piece of his mind. Even then Zia thought they were cries of a wounded beast. After his release when Bhutto arrived in Lahore to a hero’s welcome the emergency bells started to ring. Quaid-e-Awam was back with a bang. Nawaz tried a similar entry after his removal from office but failed. It seemed that Zia had been finally buried but with thePML(N) coming back into power in April 2022 they were hoping for another chance but to their misfortune Kaptan came in the way.
The establishment has erred again. The battle is now being fought for civilian supremacy. The ‘Zia Legacy’ can no longer be kept alive. Another free and fair election in 2023 will perhaps bury the dead for all times to come. While thousands of devotees still pay homage to their fallen Quaid in Naudero, the Zia grave is usually deserted in the centre of the capital where he ruled for over 11 years, indicating that ‘Zia Zinda Nahin Hai ‘ (Zia is not alive).
