Iskandar Mirza (1955-58)

Question 1

Iskandar Mirza Himslef

Answer 1

• One of five members selected for GM’s Non-Assembly Cabinet members
• From May 1954 was Governor of East
• Was made acting G.G, when GM had to retire due to health issues
• He thought Pakistan needed capable, and firm leader
• Who took decisive action
• As politician with military background in British army, he was not afraid to do so

Question 2

Initial Steps

Answer 2

• Dismissed Bogra, and made him US ambassador again
• Appointed finance minister Ch. Muhammad Ali as PM
• Pressed him hard to have a new cont. drawn

Question 3

1956 Constitution

Answer 3

• 29 February 1956, Pak’s first constitution was adopted
• Formally enforced on 23rd March
• It was a compromise b/w Muslims League and Utd Front
• Utd front dropped its objections to equal seats, and no longer demanded provincial autonomy
• In return Bengali was accepted as official language
• Const. declared that the ‘Islamic Republic Of Pakistan’ was to be governed as follows
• Lasted only 2 years before Mirza, declared martial law and scrapped it

Govt. Structure

• G.G replaced by President, who could choose PM, had emergency powers, and can dissolve National Assembly
• PM, who could choose cabinet, but only from National Assembly
• Cabinet, to advice president, but advice and advice only
• Cabinet from;
• National Assembly; 1 House of Parliament, with 300 elected members
• Provincial Assembly; Body for East Pakistan, a single body for 4 provinces of West

Question 4

One Unit Policy

Answer 4

• In November 1954, Bogra proposed 4 provinces and 10 princely states be joined to form West Pakistan
• 5th October 1955, Mirza passed order unifying West, in One Unit Scheme
• Pak was divided into 2 wings
• Mirza claimed unification could bring efficiency, and rapid development
• Also step towards united country, eradicating potential fidelity shown towards own province
• Ulterior reasons;
• Dominant politicians were from West
• They feared East Pakistani’s might gain influence at their expense
• After all there were 10 million more people in East
• By division, and ensuring equal representation…
• This scheme prevented Eats from gaining majority in Assembly
• It was greatly opposed by East, and individual provinces in West
• Opp was such that Mirza had to dismiss CM of Sindh and assemblies of Bahawalpur and Khairpur
• West came into being on 14th October 1955

Question 5

Reasons and Events Leading to his End

Answer 5

• Ch. Muhammad Ali resigned in on 12th September 1955
• He was replaced by Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, of East, by doing this he hoped to win support
• But Suhrawardy only remained in power for a year as he did not want to be a puppet, and pressed Mirza hard for meaningful authority
• He was dismissed in October 1957
• 18th October 1957, Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar, was made PM
• His Govt. had politicians with a variety of views, who could not agree on issue
• Next was Feroze Khan Noon, who’s Govt. was even more divided
• Mirza was now in tough situation, his rule became unpopular and he dared not hold election
• October 7th 1958, he imposed martial law, with himself as President
• Upon, hearing Hussein and Bengali and Punjabi’s leadership’s plan against him he turned to army
• He asked commander in chief Ayub Khan to take charge as Chief Martial Law Administrator
• 24th October, Ayub Khan was appointed PM
• He had previosuly turned down many offers from Mirza to take over
• But now thought it necessary
• On 27th October, Mirza was forced to resign and exiled to London