- Operation Fair Play
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Operation Fair Play Part of Political crises of 1977 Date July 4, 1977 Location Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Result Success of coup d'etat led by General Zia-ul-Haq - Execution of elected prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
- 10 years of Military dictatorship government was formed.
- Closer ties with United States
- Growth of Religious Fundamentalism
Belligerents 
Pakistan Army
Government of PakistanCommanders and leaders General Zia-ul-Haq
LGen Faiz Ali ChishtiPremier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
President F. Ilahi ChaudhryUnits involved 111th Combat Brigade Federal Security Force Operation Fairplay was the code-name for the coup d'etat conducted at midnight on July 4, 1977 by the Pakistan Army's 111th Infantry Brigade led by Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq against the elected civilian government of then-Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[1][2]
Contents
1977 election
The coup was conducted at the height of the political crisis stemming from the 1977 general election.[1] The leaders of the opposition Pakistan National Alliance alleged that the Pakistan Peoples Party of Prime minister Bhutto had rigged the elections to guarantee its victory—the PPP had won 155 seats to the PNA's 36.[1][2] One opposition leader, retired Air Force's Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal (retired) Asghar Khan appealed to Pakistan's Defence Forces's Chiefs of Staff to end support for Bhutto.[1] Having initially ordered the arrest of opposition leaders, Bhutto backed down in face of rising protests and violence and opened talks.[1][2] However, the military intervened before any agreement could be reached between the two parties.[1][2]
Coup
Near midnight on July 4, 1977 the army chief General Zia ordered the GOC of 111th Brigade Rawalpindi to encircle all major federal and provincial Government buildings, police stations and the National Assembly and to order the Police to arrest Bhutto, his ministers and other leaders of both the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan National Alliance.[1] In a nationally televised address, General Zia announced that the National Assembly of Pakistan and all provincial assemblies were dissolved, and that the Constitution of Pakistan was suspended.[1] However, he also promised to hold elections in 90 days. Zia appointed active and retired military officers to head government agencies and tribunals.
Although Zia had been appointed army chief over several senior generals as he was believed to be politically unambitious, Zia soon consolidated power and proclaimed himself Chief martial law administrator. Having released Bhutto on July 29, Zia's regime re-arrested him on September 3 and announced that Bhutto would stand trial on charges of corruption and for the conspiracy to murder an opposition politician Ahmed Raza Kasuri.[1][3] Although he had held talks with the leaders of the PNA, Zia suddenly postponed elections. On September 16, 1978 Zia declared himself president of Pakistan.
Bhutto's trial and execution
On March 18, 1978 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sentenced to death for the murder of the father of an opposition leader. Zia-ul-Haq was accused of influencing the court decision and the subsequent failed appeal to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Despite the appeals from 55 heads of state, Zia refused to stop Bhutto's execution, which was carried out in 1979.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Pakistan, Zia and after. Abhinav Publications. 1989. pp. 20–35. ISBN 9788170172536.
- ^ a b c d Rafiq Dossani (2005). Prospects for Peace in South Asia. Stanford University Press. pp. 46–50. ISBN 9780804750851.
- ^ Frank, Katherine (2002). Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. USA: Houghton Mifflin. pp. 438. ISBN 0-395-73097-X.
Categories:- 1977 in Pakistan
- Military coups in Pakistan
- 1970s coups d'état and coup attempts
- Operations involving Pakistani special forces
- Code names
- Government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- Military dictatorship
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