After the postponement of elections, it became clear that General Ziaul Haq wanted Bhutto to be eliminated. General Faiz Ali Chishti, Gen Zia’s murshid and the executor of Operation Fairplay concedes that “I have been blamed by some for not killing Mr Bhutto the night the army took over.” Perhaps, he was expected to have done it, but he did not do so because he was asked to take the prime minister out of Rawalpindi the same night whereas the other leaders were to be taken the following day.

It seems Begum Nusrat Bhutto was the only person who wanted to see Bhutto a free man. She called a meeting of the party’s central executive committee (CEC) on Nov 13, 1977 which, through a resolution, demanded that elections be held by December. But the meeting on Nov 30 was more noticeable as it coincided with the 10th anniversary of the PPP’s foundation. It was presided over by Begum Bhutto, but the absence of Maulana Kausar Niazi and Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi was felt by everyone. Through a resolution the meeting resolved to continue to struggle for Bhutto’s release and restoration of democracy.

While Bhutto’s bail plea was pending with the Supreme Court, there appeared no sign that elections would be held. Gen Zia continued to find new avenues through which he could show his presence. He asked the federal secretaries to immediately prepare a five-year development plan; thus keeping the secretariat busy for quite some time.

On Nov 24, two orders were issued: the first one being the disqualification of public office holders under which action was to be taken against those public officers who were involved in corruption or any other illegality. They were to be tried by a special court presided over by a high court judge. It carried a punishment of seven years.

Elections are postponed on the pretext of accountability, while attempts are made to incarcerate Bhutto

On Nov 29, the Federal Security Force was disbanded.

On Nov 30, Bhutto’s application against the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, in which he had claimed that the Chief Justice was prejudiced against him and the PPP, was taken up. The Supreme Court in its decision said that it was not the appropriate time to raise such apprehensions and these could be made part of the appeal. To this Yahya Bakhtiar, Bhutto’s counsel, withdrew such parts.

While PNA and PPP were busy drawing new lines of action to make sure that the elections are held, a new move was made on Dec 1. A delegation of the PNA, comprising Prof Ghafoor Ahmad, Sherbaz Mazari and Chaudhry Zahoor Illahi, called on Gen Zia at his residence. The CMLA was assisted by Gen Chishti, Gen Arif and Ghulam Ishaq Khan. Lasting more than five hours, this was the longest meeting Gen Zia had held.

As presumed the meeting began with a review of the accountability process as it was supposed to bring elections nearer. The General told the politicians that the process was on and elections would be held in May or June 1978 after its completion. He did not accept the demand for lifting the ban on political activities.

The postponement of elections on the pretext of “accountability first” had unmasked Gen Zia’s real objective. It was clear that he was trying to give the impression that he was serious but that circumstances did not allow him to hold polls. After his brief visit to Balochistan, he said in Islamabad that he had no such mechanism by which he could give a date for the elections. However, he continued assuring the people that the elections would be held within 60 days after completion of accountability process. He even rejected a suggestion that polls could be held by June 1978.

Without giving any indication that he wanted to continue to occupy the top seat, he lost no chance to gain support of all political elements that mattered. At the same time, with the objective of countering Bhutto’s influence he ordered the information and broadcasting ministry to destroy all audio and video tapes that bore Bhutto’s voice and images.

The instruction was faithfully implemented but a few broadcasters in Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television kept some tapes in safe hands assuming that one day the military government would end and these tapes would be needed. Many films prepared by the Directorate of Films and Publications (DFP) of the federal government were safely smuggled out, which became useful assets after the restoration of democracy.

By this time Ghulam Mustafa Khar had reached London and was now meeting pro-Bhutto people to begin a campaign against the military junta. From the beginning Khar was under surveillance.

However, after he was arrested he began cultivating relations with the Election Cell, especially with Gen Chishti and Gen Farman. He had before him the example of Jam Sadiq Ali who, after using his good offices, had escaped to London.

As the military administration was trying to collect information about Bhutto’s involvement in some illegal act for which he could be punished, Khar tried his luck by pretending that some important documents were in London which could implicate Bhutto in several misdeeds.

He sought permission to go there and fetch the documents. The members in the Election Cell, especially Gen Chishti and Gen Arif made a request at the MLAs meeting that Khar be allowed to go to London for a short visit. Some members were doubtful of Khar’s intentions, but Gen Chishti and Gen Farman Ali recommended that he could be summoned in three days when needed.

After the undertaking, Gen Zia allowed Khar to leave. Khar along with his wife Tehmina Durrani left for London and stayed in exile for the next 10 years. Khar returned in 1987 and was arrested. Gen Khalid Mahmood Arif recalled Khar, after he was released on bail, as saying: “I do not forget a helping hand given to me. I am grateful to Chishti and Farman for facilitating my departure from Pakistan in 1977. They both were aware that I would not return soon.” It was perhaps due to this that Gen Zia dropped Gen Chishti’s name from the cabinet in 1979.

**Next week:* Thinking of placing a ban on PPP*

shaikhaziz38@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, July 20th, 2014