Pakistan’s Early Political Development: From Liaquat Ali Khan to Iskander Mirza (1947-1958)
Pakistan emerged as an independent nation in August 1947 on the condition that democracy would prevail as the form of governance. Ever since the country emerged into the limelight, its elected institutions have been failing in performing their duties for various reasons, mainly because of the dominance of hierarchical institutions.
The death of Jinnah came as a shock to the entire nation. This created a huge gap, with Pakistan struggling for visionary leadership, constitutional development, and national security. Between the leadership of Liaquat Ali Khan and Iskander Mirza, Pakistan witnessed a long series of ups and downs with respect to constitution-making and political stability.
Liaquat Ali Khan and the Foundations of the New State
During his period between 1947 and 1951, Liaquat Ali Khan made crucial contributions to laying down the organizational, economic, and constitutional bases of the newly born nation despite the fact that Pakistan was plagued by various structural deficiencies at that point. The setting up of a functional central government in Karachi was among the very first tasks performed by the government under the leadership of Liaquat Ali Khan.
It is also known that the first-ever budget of the country was presented by his government in 1947. The establishment of the State Bank of Pakistan in July 1948 further enabled the country to control its monetary policies and currency independently. Yet another significant accomplishment during this period was the adoption of the Objectives Resolution in March 1949 by the Constituent Assembly.
Managing relations with India was one of his biggest problems since the partition resulted in territorial disputes, conflicts over property, and the protection of religious minorities. He signed the Liaquat-Nehru Pact with Indian PM Nehru in April 1950, which sought to ensure religious minority rights in both nations after the violence that occurred as a result of communal conflicts. In 1950, he went on an official visit to the US, where he met President Harry Truman. This visit led to cordial relations and global recognition of Pakistan’s requirements. On October 16, 1951,
Liaquat Ali Khan was shot dead while addressing a crowd at Rawalpindi. The killer was immediately shot dead by the police; thus, no investigation could be carried out. Liaquat Ali Khan’s last reported words were “May God protect Pakistan.”
Khawaja Nazimuddin and the Challenges of Governance
Khawaja Nazimuddin is known to be one of the prominent........
