2021

“In order to do something, we first believe that I can”

Assignment # 2
Submitted to:
Ms. Sumara Aziz
Submitted by:
Group 2
Roll #
03, 04, 10, 20
Semester:
BS Public Administration 7th
Topic:
Political Instability in Pakistan
Subject:
Contemporary issues of Public Administration in Pakistan

The Islamia University of Bahawalpur

Department of Political Science
Group Participants:

Aqsa Aslam
Hamza Umar
Muhammad Arslan
Faiz Ul Rahman
Public Administration:

Public administration is the implementation of government policy and additionally an

educational area that studies this implementation and prepares civil employees for working
within the public service sector. Specifically, it is the planning, organizing, directing,
coordinating, and controlling of government operations.
Public Administration in Pakistan is facing many critical issues now a days.
▪ Corruption
▪ Bribery
▪ Lack of Transparency
▪ Biased Recruitment
▪ Unfair Political Environment
▪ Social Inequity
▪ Political Instability in Pakistan
But today we’ll talk about political instability in Pakistan. That how it is a major issue in the
history of Pakistan since its formation.

Political Instability:

Political instability can be defined as the political disorder or disturbance in the certain
country or a state. It will also be known as the loss of control of a country’s territory, or any
inability to provide public services and it could also be the loss of the sincere leadership and
authority.
Now a day’s political instability has become a threating and a serious issue in developing
countries. In accordance with its political stability plays a vital role in maintaining and defining
a society. The development of a nation is not possible without the presence of political
stability.
Inefficiency of political parties and the instability of government and weak political culture
are the main cause of political instability in a state. As we all know that states are multi ethnic.
People from different backgrounds and different cultures get their shares and will be satisfied
from the state. This action leads to nation-building.

Political instability with special reference to Pakistan:

Many undeveloped nations or states of Asia and Africa including Pakistan are trying to
overcome the problems of national integration, economic development and centralization of
authority. There are two major areas where instability lies in a state. Each state faces these
issues in sense of political instability. These two areas are described by Leonard Binder. These
are identity crises and legitimacy crises.
Identity Crises:
We can describe identity crises in many ways according to a political process. In general, we
can say it the sentiments of nationalism and the desire of the people to live together in a
common place. It shows the association of individuals with state’s political system.
We can discuss the separation of East Pakistan in this identity sector. With the formation of
Pakistan this identity issue was started. As the 56% of Pakistan’s population was Bengali and
they demanded the representation according to the population in National Assembly. The
issue of selecting the national language also led the separation of east Pakistan. The other
major issue was the untrained officials of East Pakistan for public administration. Instead of
training them their seats were filled by the officials of West Pakistan. All this phenomenon
was the result of political instability in Pakistan.
Here we are going to furnish it with the most common identity crises in Pakistan. Pakistan has
four provinces. Each province contains thousands of people who have different cultures,
language and different ethnic values. Punjabis are considered inferior in other provinces then
Punjab. Same is the case with the residents of other provinces. All this identity and culture
crises are due to the political instability. Unfortunately, we are missing the sincere leadership
who can better present our culture and make citizens respectable even in other provinces.
Legitimacy Crises:
Generally, the legitimacy crisis is regarded along with the forms of the governmental
institutions and the authority of the leadership. It can also be referred to as "a break down in
the constitutional structure and the performance of the government that arises out of the
differences over the proper nature of the authority for political system.
In Pakistan, the induction of one unit in 1956, introduction of 1962 constitution by Ayyub
Khan, frequent constitutional amendments by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and mal-treatment of
General Zia-ul -Haq under 1973 constitution are closely related events in this context.
The institution of leadership in Pakistan has remained so weak and its shape is always from
top to bottom. The leadership in Pakistan is based on heredity/ own family patterns. In real
the procedure of turning into a leader starts from bottom to top, in which the first step is
social welfare provider then entering in political area.
The charisma of family leadership is popular amongst the people because of lack of education.
The lowest literacy rate in people of Pakistan has played an important role in deciding the
right choice for them; since their choice is made on the basis of their emotions and charisma
of the personality of leaders. The lack of education and decay of leadership are the two most
important contributing factors to the political instability in Pakistan.

Main causes of Political Instability in Pakistan:

❖ System of Conflicts since Independence

❖ Role of Opposition
❖ Role of Media
System of Conflicts since Independence:

Dissolved Assemblies:
Dissolved assemblies are the reflection of political instability in Pakistan.
Here we’ll discuss the prime ministers of Pakistan since its formation and the abolishment of
their governments for better understanding of examples of political instability.

1. Liaquat Ali Khan

He joined as the Prime Minister on 14 August 1947 and left the post on 16 October 1951. His
tenure was 4 years 2 months and 2 days. He was the member of Muslim League. He was
assassinated in 1951, and Khawaja Nazimuddin took the office.
2. Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin
He joined as the Prime Minister on 17 October 1951 and left the post on 17 April 1953. His
tenure was 1 year and 6 months. He was the member of Muslim League. He left the office
when Governor-General Malik Ghulam Muhammad dissolved his government in 1953.
3. Mohammad Ali Bogra
He joined the as the Prime Minister on 17 April 1953 and left the post on 12 August 1955. His
tenure was 2 years, 3 months and 26 days. his administration was dismissed in 1955 by the
Governor-General after the legislative elections in 1954.
4. Chaudhry Mohammad Ali
He joined as the prime minister on 12 August 1955 and left the post on 12 September 1956.
His tenure was 1 year and 1 month. He was the member of Muslim League. He was removed
by his own party following the successful vote of no-confidence movement.
5. Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
He joined as the Prime Minister on 12 September 1956 and left the post on 17 October 1957.
His tenure was 1 year, 1 month and 5 days. He was the member of Awami League. Suhrwardy
resigned due to the loss of control over his party and support from the coalition partners in
his administration.
6. Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar
He joined as the prime minister on 17 October 1957 and left the post on 16 December 1957.
His tenure was 1 month and 29 days. He was the member of Muslim League. He was removed
in mere 55 days into his term amid a vote of no-confidence movement led by majority votes
of the Republican Party and Awami League.
7. Sir Feroze Khan Noon
He joined as the Prime Minister on 16 December 1957 and left the post on 7 October 1958.
His tenure was 9 months and 21 days. He was the member of Republican Party. Iskander Mirza
enforced martial law in 1958 and hence he was abolished from his position.
8. Nurul Amin
He joined as the Prime Minister on 7 December 1971 and left the post on 20 December 1971.
His tenure was only 30 days as a Prime Minister. He became the first vice president of Pakistan
on 20 December 1971 and left the post on 14 August 1973, He was the member of Pakistan
Muslim League.
9. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
He joined on 14 August 1973 and left the post on 5 July 1977. His tenure was 3 years, 10
months and 21 days. He was the president of Pakistan Peoples Party. Bhutto resigned as
president to become the empowered Prime Minister after the Constitution was
repromulgated, which established a parliamentary system of government. He was deposed
in the martial law in 1977 by his appointed army chief, General Zia, in July 1977.
10. Muhammad Khan Junejo
He joined as the tenth prime minister of Pakistan on 24 March 1985 and left the post on 29
May 1988. His tenure was 3 years, 2 months and 5 days. He was an independent candidate
but he served the Pakistan Muslim League. He was dismissed by the president after Eighth
Amendment to the Constitution.
11. Benazir Bhutto
She joined as the Prime Minister on 2 December 1988 and left the post on 6 August 1990. Her
tenure was 1 year, 8 months and 4 days. Benazir Bhutto became the first woman in Pakistan
to head a major political party, in 1982.
12. Nawaz Sharif
He joined as the Prime Minister on 6 November 1990 and left the post on 18 July 1983. His
tenure was 2 years, 7 months and 4 days. Nawaz Sharif was elected as the 12th Prime Minister
of Pakistan on 1 November 1990. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dissolved his government in
April 1993, which was later on reinstated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Sharif survived a
serious constitutional crisis when President Khan attempted to dismiss him under article 58-
2b, in April 1993, but he successfully challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. Nawaz
Sharif resigned from the post negotiating a settlement that resulted in the removal of
President as well, in July 1993.
13. Benazir Bhutto
She was re-elected for the second time as a Prime Minister on 19 October 1993 and left the
post on 5 November 1996. Her second tenure was 3 years and 17 days. Benazir Bhutto's
government was dismissed by president Farooq Leghari in November 1996.
14. Nawaz Sharif
He was re-elected for the second time on 17 February 1997 and left the post on 12 October
1999. His second tenure was 2 years, 7 months and 25 days. His government was deposed
by General Pervez Musharraf in October 1999, and Martial law was imposed in the entire
country.
15. Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali
He joined as the Prime Minister on 23 November 2002 and left the post on 26 June 2004. His
tenure was 1 year, 7 months and 3 days. He was the member of PMLQ. Jamali was elected as
the Prime Minister of Pakistan in November 2002. He continued the foreign and economic
policies of Pervez Musharraf but could not complete his term and resigned from the post in
June 2004.
16. Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain
He joined the office on 30 June 2003 and left the post on 26 August 2004. His tenure was 1
month and 27 days. He was the member of PMLQ. Parliament elected Chaudhry Shujaat
Hussain as the Prime Minister and to serve a 50-day period before the Shaukat Aziz,
permanently replaces him.
17. Shaukat Aziz
He joined as the Prime Minister on 28 August 2004 and left the post on 15 November 2007.
His tenure was 3 years, 2 months and 18 days. He is the member of PMLQ. Shaukat Aziz took
the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan in August 2004. He left the office at the end of the
parliamentary term, in November 2007, and became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan who
left the seat after completion of parliamentary term.
18. Yousaf Raza Gillani
He joined as the Prime Minister on 25 March 2008 and left the post on 19 June 2012. His
tenure was 4 years, 2 months and 25 days. He is the member of Pakistan Peoples Party. He
was disqualified from his seat in the parliament on April 2012 by the Supreme Court for
contempt of court.
19. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
He joined as the Prime Minister on 22 June 2012 and left the post on 24 March 2013. His
tenure was 9 months and 2 days. He is the member of Pakistan Peoples Party. Raja Pervaiz
Ashraf assumed the post of Prime Minister in June 2012, after Yousaf Raza Gillani was
disqualified over contempt of court charges.
20. Nawaz Sharif
He joined as the Prime Minister on 5 June 2013 and left the post on 28 July 2017. His tenure
was 4 years, 1 month and 23 days. On 5 June 2013, Nawaz Sharif took office for a third non-
consecutive term after winning 182/342 seats with clear majority. He was disqualified on 28
July 2017 by the Supreme Court of Pakistan as a result of the Panama Papers case.
 21. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
He joined as the Prime Minister on 1 August 2017 and left the post on 31 May 2018. His tenure
was 10 months. He is the member of PMLN. Parliament elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the
Prime Minister after the impeachment of Nawaz Sharif. His term expired on 31 May 2018
alongside the dissolution of the National Assembly to facilitate a caretaker government in
place until the 25 July general election.

4 Martial Laws Imposed:

First Martial Law (1958)

On October 7, 1958 Iskander Mirza proclaimed martial law throughout the country and
appointed the Army Chief, General Muhammad Ayub Khan, as Chief Martial Law
Administrator. The constitution was abrogated, central and provincial governments were
dismissed, National and provincial assemblies stood dissolved, and all political parties were
abolished. Ayub Khan was sworn in as elected President on February 17, 1960. On June 8,
1962, he announced to lift martial law after nearly four years, and also took oath of the office
of the President under the new Constitution, enacted by him on March 1, 1962, providing
presidential form of government.
Second Martial Law (1969)
The second instance was when the then Army Chief, General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan,
declared Martial law, dissolved the assemblies and assumed the office of the president after
Ayub Khan stepped down as President on March 25, 1969, and handed over powers to him.
On April 3, he formed a three-member Council of Administration with himself as its Chairman,
and next day issued Provisional Constitution Order, providing basis for governance of country.
On April 8, he ordered that Martial Law Administrators of East and West Pakistan will also
perform duties of the governors.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party, took over as president and the first
civilian Chief Martial Law Administrator on December 20, 1971.
Third Martial Law (1977)
The army staged third coup when General Ziaul Haq overthrew the Bhutto government and
took over as Chief Martial Law Administrator on July 5, 1977. The federal and provincial
governments were dismissed; political parties were banned; National and provincial
assemblies were dissolved; the constitution was put in abeyance; civil courts continued to
function as usual but fundamental rights were suspended. Zia’s martial law came to an end
on December 30, 1985.
1999 Coup
Pakistan came under military rule again on October 12, 1999, when General Pervez Musharraf
seized power in a bloodless coup and dissolved elected government of Nawaz Sharif.
However, no Martial law was imposed. As announced by him on July 11, 2002, general
elections were held on October 10, 2002. But before the elections, a referendum was held on
April 30, 2002 for him to be elected as the president for another five years. On November 3,
2007, he declared the state of emergency in the country which is claimed to be equivalent to
the state of martial law as the constitution was suspended. On November 12, 2007, Musharraf
issued some amendments to the Military Act, which gave the armed forces some additional
powers.
Pervez Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan as Chief Executive from 1999-2002 and as president
from 2001-08, resigned on August18, 2008 in the face of impeachment. Mir Zafarullah Khan
Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Shaukat Aziz served as elected prime ministers during
his era.

The Role of Opposition in Political Instability

Unfortunately, Pakistan lacks sincere leadership throughout the history of Pakistan since its
formation. Most of the political leaders are not working for the social welfare and the
development of state. Their own interests are superior to them. They used public assets for
their private means. They are not working for national interest. The most common example
of role of opposition is The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of opposition
parties challenging the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI)-led government.

The role of media in Political Instability in Pakistan

Media can play a central role for the development of state. Development involves an
increasingly effective penetration of the mass media system into all the separate communal
dimensions of the nation. The six “essential functions” of communication in developing
countries are; to contribute to the feelings of nation-ness, to be the voice of national planning,
to help to teach the necessary skills, to help to extend the effective market, to prepare people
to play their new parts, to prepare the people to play their role as a nation among nations.
But unfortunately, the civilian military dictators-controlled media which dishonored people’s
voice, promoted every type of corruption and kept the people ignorant and worked for the
interests of elite class of state.

Some Effective Measures to Strengthen the System and Reduce Political Instability:

❖ To create physical asset by educating the masses, proper allocating the land, credit,
zakat and usher ensuring cost effective provisions of basic needs. Improved efficiency
in the public and corporate sectors to provide rule of law.
❖ Independence of judiciary will strengthen democracy, restore trust between center
and provinces and facilitate quick dispensation of justice.
 ❖ Depoliticizing of public departments to avoid unjust political pressures.
❖ Peace inside and outside the borders will provide sufficient resources, skills and
opportunities to focus on the national prosperity.
❖ Accountability at all levels, autonomy to the provinces, awakening of Islamic ideology.
❖ There is an urgent need for better networking and coordination among various
sections of society such as lawyers, journalists, human rights activists and students.
❖ The judiciary and the election commission are the two most important institutional
devices that needs to be free of political influence.
❖ Media should play an effective part in the society by minimizing the negativity and
promoting positivity.

Conclusion:

The consequences of political stability are to be felt everywhere in the realms of economics,
society and politics. Pakistan a nation having rich resources, fertile land, intelligent people,
important strategic location, and being an atomic power is a case of serious political instability
which is suffering from weak and ineffective external and internal policy making,
discontinuation of policies, less coherent society, an obscure image on the global stage having
its future questioned by the world.
A politically stable state satisfies every section of society in all dynamics and accommodates
pluralities; a result people become more loyal to the state and the sentiment of nationalism
establishes amongst them and citizens regardless of their differences feel a part of the
national entity.
The political stability is a pre-condition for the nation-building, and nation-building is a
process necessary for the survival and development of a nation. The process of nation-
building works in two dimensions, it works towards identity formation of a nation which
results in integration of society, and obviously an integrated society plays an important part
into state-building that includes the development of administrative infrastructure of the
state.