Movement for Restoration of Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) was a major alliance formed by Secular-Socialist democratic political forces aiming to end the General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law and military dictatorship in the country. It was formed in February 1981. The alliance was aimed at restoring democracy and ousting the then military ruler of Pakistan General Zia ul Haq. The MRD coalition comprised Socialist democratic and secular forces such as Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP), Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam (MAI), National Democratic Party, Sindhi Awami Tahreek, Awami National Party
, Tehrik-e-Istiqlal
, Pakistan Muslim League
, Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi, Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, (Pakhtoonkhwa); MRD demanded withdrawal of martial law and immediate elections.
At the time of the formation of the Movement for Restoration of Democracy in 1982, the PML split into two factions, one led by Pir Pagara and the other by Malik Qasim. The PPP, though reluctantly, agreed to form the MRD with the very parties which had paved the way for the ouster of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
government in 1977. This alliance had launched a potent struggle against Zia-ul Haq's rule, especially in Sindh. Military force was used against agitators and the movement was crushed. However, it mounted pressure on General Zia to hold the elections. Convinced that party-based elections would not bring the ‘positive results’ he had been talking of, he decided to hold non-party elections in 1985. But before doing so, he secured his election as president through a referendum.
The PML and the JI were the only parties which contested. All parties in the MRD boycotted the polls.
MRD, in fact, was an uprising against military rule in Pakistan with its epicenter in Sindh. During the decade long existence of the movement, twice the people of Sindh (in 1983 and 1986) went for armed struggle against the military junta, in which hundreds of the civilians and military personnel were killed especially in Dadu, Noaushehro Feroz and Nawabshah
districts.
According to the political analysts, MRD in Sindh was an ‘spontaneous’ nationalist uprising to the greater extent and a culmination of reaction against the injustices due to ill federalism in Pakistan against Sindh. The judicial murder of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, ex President and Prime Minister of Pakistan hailing from Larakana district of Sindh became a reason of antagonism between the military and civilians in Sindh and rest of Pakistan.
The prominent leaders of MRD were Ms. Nusrat Bhutto
, Ms. Benazir Bhutto
, Mr. Rasool Bux Palijo, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Mr. Fazil Rahu and others. Thousands of the activists were jailed across the country especially in Sindh. hj
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
(PPP), Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam (MAI), National Democratic Party, Sindhi Awami Tahreek, Awami National Party
Awami National Party
The Awami National Party is an Pashtun nationalist, socialist, centre-left political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International...
, Tehrik-e-Istiqlal
Tehrik-e-Istiqlal
Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan is a political party in Pakistan. It was formed by Air Marshal Retd. Asghar Khan in 1970. Asghar Khan has retired from the post of President of the party and is currently headed by [Asaf Fasifuddin Vardag], former Member of the senate.In 1979 Tehrik-e-Istiqlal Pakistan...
, Pakistan Muslim League
Pakistan Muslim League
The Pakistan Muslim League was founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League in Pakistan. Unlike the original PML which ended in 1958 when General Ayub Khan banned all political parties, each subsequent Muslim League was in some way propped by the military dictators of...
, Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi, Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, (Pakhtoonkhwa); MRD demanded withdrawal of martial law and immediate elections.
At the time of the formation of the Movement for Restoration of Democracy in 1982, the PML split into two factions, one led by Pir Pagara and the other by Malik Qasim. The PPP, though reluctantly, agreed to form the MRD with the very parties which had paved the way for the ouster of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
government in 1977. This alliance had launched a potent struggle against Zia-ul Haq's rule, especially in Sindh. Military force was used against agitators and the movement was crushed. However, it mounted pressure on General Zia to hold the elections. Convinced that party-based elections would not bring the ‘positive results’ he had been talking of, he decided to hold non-party elections in 1985. But before doing so, he secured his election as president through a referendum.
The PML and the JI were the only parties which contested. All parties in the MRD boycotted the polls.
MRD, in fact, was an uprising against military rule in Pakistan with its epicenter in Sindh. During the decade long existence of the movement, twice the people of Sindh (in 1983 and 1986) went for armed struggle against the military junta, in which hundreds of the civilians and military personnel were killed especially in Dadu, Noaushehro Feroz and Nawabshah
Nawabshah
Nawabshah , or Shaheed Benazirabad, is a district in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is headquarter of Shaheed Benazir Abad District...
districts.
According to the political analysts, MRD in Sindh was an ‘spontaneous’ nationalist uprising to the greater extent and a culmination of reaction against the injustices due to ill federalism in Pakistan against Sindh. The judicial murder of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, ex President and Prime Minister of Pakistan hailing from Larakana district of Sindh became a reason of antagonism between the military and civilians in Sindh and rest of Pakistan.
The prominent leaders of MRD were Ms. Nusrat Bhutto
Nusrat Bhutto
Begum Nusrat Bhutto was an Iranian-Pakistani who was the wife of the 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, serving as the First Lady of Pakistan during his premiership from 1971 until Bhutto's removal in 1977. She became her husband's successor as the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples...
, Ms. Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
, Mr. Rasool Bux Palijo, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Mr. Fazil Rahu and others. Thousands of the activists were jailed across the country especially in Sindh. hj