Ayub Khan 1958 to 1969

Ayub Khan 1958 to 1969

Why came to power?

There were a number of Prime Ministers between 1956 and 1958 and it reached a stage when Ayub Khan achieved the status and he felt that army should take control until stability had been restored and questions answered. East Pakistan’s politicians wanted more say in the running of the central government which increased tension. Iskander Mirza had lost the support of many of the leading politicians and was alarmed at a point by Prime Minister Suharwardy who was uniting the political leadership of Bengal and Punjab against him. Therefore Ayub Khan and the military decided to take over full control of the government in 1958.

Reforms of Ayub Khan

Ayub Khan took action to prevent people from hoarding goods and selling them on the black market at inflated prices. Profiteers had their goods confiscated and many were arrested. As a result this action brought down the prices of many goods. He also fixed the price of milk and other goods to stop profiteering, which also helped families to manage their weekly budget better. The government set about improving housing for refugees. A massive new housing development provided new homes for refugees in Karachi, which clearly had a beneficial effect on the lives of these people. Women’s rights benefited too from reforms affecting divorce and marriage. Marriages and divorces now had to be registered and further marriage approved by a court. The minimum age of marriage for females became 16. However there were other domestic policies that were important.

 In 1959 Basic Democracies were introduced which was a 4 tier structure of government, allowing elections at various levels. The success of these councils, which were set up, was such that martial law was lifted. However there were other factors, which were important aspects of his domestic policies. Land was redistributed to farmers with medium sized farms and agriculture was revitalized to such an extent that crop outputs were at record levels. In 1962 an oil refinery was established in Karachi and a Mineral Development Corporation was set up for the exploration of mineral deposits. An Export Bonus Scheme was set up offering incentives to industrialists who increased exports. As a result of these policies economic growth rose sharply. National growth rate rose more than 7% and the economy grew three times faster than any other South East Asian country. However the new wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few and the general population didn’t benefit.

Why was Islamabad chosen as the new capital of Pakistan?

Government officials would be moved well away from the commercial districts of Karachi that might have some unwanted influences on them. It was also seen as the need of an appropriate movement of the power base from the industrially and commercially developed south to the underdeveloped Punjab region in the north. Ayub Khan wanted to be closer to the army’s command headquarters in the north which he saw as vital in times of martial law. Karachi had a very warm and humid climate and, as a port, it wasn’t felt that it represented the needs of a capital city as the existing buildings were not adequate in number or up to the standards required by a capital. The layout and structure of the existing port city did not allow it to take on the functions of a modern capital. With its position on the coast, it was considered vulnerable to attacks from the Arabian Sea. The vast influx of refugees intensified the existing problems and created new ones.