The 1970 Polls in Pakistan and Unrest in East Pakistan

In 1970, General Yahya Khan, who had succeeded Ayub Khan as president and chief martial law administrator in Pakistan, promised to restore democracy in Pakistan and duly called for general elections – the first ever election based on adult franchise in that country. Also, the number of seats to the National Assembly was to be in proportion to the population. East Pakistan, the more populous of the two wings of

Pakistan, was thus, naturally, allotted more seats than West Pakistan.

In West Pakistan, the dominant party was the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, while in East Pakistan the Awami League led by Mujibur Rahman was the dominant party. Mujibur Rahman spoke of the eastern wing being repressed by the military rulers and treated as a colony to cater to West Pakistan’s interests. The East Pakistanis resented their language—Bengali—being side lined and the low representation of their people in the higher administrative sections of the country. Mujibur Rahman demanded greater autonomy and a true federal constitution with greater powers for the East wing. The poll was held in December 1970 and the results showed where Pakistan was heading. While the PPP won a majority of seats in West Pakistan, the Awami League simply swept the elections in East Pakistan and, in the process, got a majority over all.

Yahya Khan did not like the prospect of an assembly led by an East Pakistani and dominated by East Pakistanis with their demand for autonomy in framing a new democratic constitution. There was also a fear among the West Pakistan rulers that the Hindus in East Pakistan, many of whom were well-educated professionals, might influence the writing of the constitution. Yahya Khan with the endorsement of Zulfiqar Bhutto postponed convening the National Assembly. This angered the East Pakistanis, and the call for a general strike by the Awami League met with a good response. In March 1971, the Pakistani military regime took steps to crush the protest and sent tanks and forces into East Pakistan. Mujibur Rahman was arrested and moved to an unknown destination. There seemed little chance for reconciliation after the violent clashes and the brutal killing of civilians, especially students, by the Pakistani army.