Referendum in Pakistan in 1984
The 1984 referendum in Pakistan was held on October 19th. Respondents were asked to indicate in the referendum whether they agree with Zia ul Haq's proposal to change laws in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunna . The voters should decide whether this process should be developed further and whether they agreed with Pakistan's Islamic ideology. The referendum was also intended to extend Zia's term of office for another five years. Official results showed that the referendum was passed with 98.5%. The turnout was 62.2%. However, independent observers have questioned the official results.
history
General Zia-ul-Haq wanted to build a kind of sham democracy in Pakistan. He wanted to put a civilian stamp on his presidency. Zia ul Haq made some arrangements for this project. He established the Majlis-i-Shoora. The Majlis-i-Shoora. should replace the parliament of Pakistan. The Majlis.i.Shoora, however, had no legislative powers. The next step by Zia was to mobilize the people to confirm his rule. According to Zia, this should be done through a referendum. A simple yes should confirm Zia in his reign. The referendum was designed in such a way that Zia's intentions were not visible. The referendum confronted the population with a difficult question, but was designed in such a way that Zia's policy of Islamization should be confirmed by the population and then expanded. The referendum question was:
“Whether the people of Pakistan endorse the process initiated by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, the President of Pakistan, for bringing the laws of Pakistan in conformity with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and for the preservation of the Islamic ideology of Pakistan, for the continuation and consolidation of that process, and for the smooth and orderly transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people ”
"Should the people in Pakistan, the process initiated by General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, the President of Pakistan, be that the laws should be in accordance with Islam, as it is in the Quran and in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (saw) is designed and for the sake of maintaining the Islamic ideology for the continuation and consolidation of the process and for the smooth transfer of power to the representatives of the people. "
The complex question posed in the referendum was difficult to understand, especially for the rural uneducated population of Pakistan. The question can easily be rephrased to mean: Do you want Pakistan to become an Islamic state? The referendum was held on December 14, 1984 as planned. The Pakistani Democracy Preservation Movement boycotted the referendum. The referendum results showed that many people voted in favor of Zia ul Haq. However, the MR D assumed that fewer people took part in the referendum than stated. Zia ul Haq denied this finding. Zia said that the people decided to allow him another term. Zia ul Haq was named and sworn in as President of Pakistan by referendum. He announced that the next general election would be held in February. Zia ul Haq decided that no parties should take part in these elections.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Dieter Nohlen , Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I , p. 677
- ^ Story of Pakistan
- ^ A leaf from history: Zia's referendum
