SINDH AGAINST THE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP OF GEN. ZIAUL HAQ REGIME: A STUDY OF MRD MOVEMENT 1981-88

Abstract

On 5th July 1977 Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Ziaul Haq overthrew anelected government of Z.A. Bhutto imposed martial law and assumed the post ofChief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA), dissolved national and provincialassemblies, arrested the political leadership of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP)and Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) and promised to nation that elections will beheld within 90 days but he deviated from his promise and continued military rule.This research article will investigate how democratic political forces united underone umbrella for restoring democracy and ending military rule. All democraticpolitical parties allied and formed a Movement for the Restoration of Democracy(MRD) in February 1981. The alliance started the civil disobedience movement intwo phases 1981 and 1983 unfortunately, the movement was restricted only to Sindh.The movement forced the landed gentry to participate in the agitation if they had notparticipated they would have lost the elections, this fear dragged them into agitationwhich was against the wishes of rulers. The democratic movement constrainedmilitary authorities to restore democracy, and people avenged dictatorship throughballoting and defeated pro-military candidates in general elections. The strugglesuccessfully restored democracy