ShereeDrm9452: updated details per sources as per guidelines

2026-03-29T00:39:00Z

updated details per sources as per guidelines

->Wallu2: correction of flag as well because the previously added flag was of the local unregistered party in Pakistan also named as "Pakistan National Alliance", someone may have cofusion with this article and added here because you can see the previously used flag at this Facebook page:https://m.facebook.com/PakistanNationalAlliance (if someone has concern about my edit)

2021-12-31T07:47:55Z

correction of flag as well because the previously added flag was of the local unregistered party in Pakistan also named as "Pakistan National Alliance", someone may have cofusion with this article and added here because you can see the previously used flag at this Facebook page:https://m.facebook.com/PakistanNationalAlliance (if someone has concern about my edit)

New page

{{distinguish|National Alliance (Pakistan)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Pakistan National Alliance پاکستان قومی اتحاد
| logo = Dark green flag waving.png
| logo_size =
| colorcode = {{party color|Pakistan National Alliance}}
| presidium = [[Abul A'la Maududi|Abul Maududi]] ([[Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan|JI]]) [[Shah Ahmad Noorani|Ahmad Noorani]] ([[Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan|JuP]]) [[Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi|Zahoor Illahi]] ([[Pakistan Muslim League|PML]]) [[Asghar Khan]] ([[Tehrik-e-Istiqlal|TeI]])
| foundation = {{Start date|df=yes|1977|01|05}}
| dissolved = {{End date|df=yes|1978|01|24}}
| ideology = [[Conservatism]] [[Capitalism]]
| position = [[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]]
| colors = Green {{colour sample|{{party color|Pakistan National Alliance}}}}
| slogan = ''Nizam-e-Mustafa'' (1977)
| flag = 23Flag(Plain)V.svg
| website =
| country = Pakistan
}}

The '''Pakistan National Alliance''' ([[Urdu]]: '''پاکستان قومد''', [[Acronym and initialism|Acronym]]: '''PNA'''), was a [[Populism|populist]] and consolidated right-wing [[Political parties in Pakistan|political alliance]], consisting of [[Political parties in Pakistan|nine political parties]] of the country. Formed in 1977, the country's leading right-wing parties agreed upon to run a political campaign as a single bloc against the [[Centre-left|left oriented]] [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]] in the [[1977 Pakistani general election|1977 general elections]].

Despite each parties standing with a different ideology, PNA was noted for its large physical momentum and its right-wing orientation, originally aimed to oppose Prime Minister [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] and the [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]].<ref>[http://jang.com.pk/jang/aug2011-daily/11-08-2011/col3.htm Navaz Sharif – A man between enemies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811040546/http://jang.com.pk/jang/aug2011-daily/11-08-2011/col3.htm |date=11 August 2011 }}</ref> Despite its [[Right-wing populism|right-wing populist]] agenda, the alliance performed poorly in the [[1977 Pakistani general election|1977 general election]] and levelled accusations of [[Vote rigging|rigging]] the elections. After months of [[Right-wing politics and violence|spontaneous violent]] political activism, the [[Operation Fair Play|martial law]] came in effect under [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|chief of army staff]] General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] who made call for a [[Retributive justice|political retribution]]. By 1978, the alliance met its end when parties diverged in each of its agenda. The left-wing parties later would form the [[Movement for the Restoration of Democracy|MRD alliance]] under PPP to oppose President Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s and the right-wing forming the [[Islamic Democratic Alliance|IDA alliance]] under [[Pakistan Muslim League|PML]].

==History==

The [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]] came in [[Power (politics)|power politics]] after the [[Instrument of Surrender (1971)|loss]] of [[East Pakistan|East-Pakistan]] in 1971. After uplifting the martial law in 1972 and promulgating the [[Constitution of Pakistan|constitution]] in 1973, the PPP made slow efforts to advance the "[[Islam and democracy]]" in the country, but intensified the [[Socialism in Pakistan|socialism]] with a vengeance.<ref name="Country studies US">{{cite web|last=Country studies US|title=History of Pakistan Peoples Party and the Left in Pakistan|url=http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/69.htm|publisher=Country studies US|access-date=19 May 2013}}</ref> First and foremost, the [[Nationalization in Pakistan|nationalisation program]] was carried out to centralised the large-scale industries, private-sector and commercial corporation to set up the strong [[Public sector|state sector]].<ref name="Country studies US"/> Resentment and heavy disapproval came from the elite [[Corporate sector of Pakistan|corporate sector]] and PPP intensified its public programs at the social circles.<ref name="Country studies US"/> Although the general elections were to be held on half of 1977, Bhutto made a move and called for holding the general elections on 7 January 1977.<ref name="Story of Pakistan press">{{cite web|title=1977 General elections and Right wing populism|url=http://storyofpakistan.com/general-elections-1977/|publisher=Story of Pakistan press|access-date=19 May 2013|display-authors=etal}}</ref>

Early calls for the elections was an idea to not to given time to the opposition to make decisions and arrangements for the forthcoming elections.<ref name="Story of Pakistan press"/> Immediately after the announcement, Bhutto started his election campaign and began allotting party tickets to party's candidates.<ref name="Story of Pakistan press"/> Sensing the difficulty of facing PPP alone, the conservative mass began to consolidate when [[Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan|''JeI'']] contacting the [[Pakistan Muslim League]] (PML) and [[Tehrik-e-Istiqlal|TeI]].<ref name="ABC-CLIO">{{cite book|last=Lyon|first=Peter|title=Conflict between India and Pakistan : an encyclopedia|year=2008|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|isbn=978-1576077122|page=131|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vLwOck15eboC&q=pakistan+national+alliance&pg=PA131}}</ref> The other small nine parties too joined the alliance and initially called for ending the [[Stagflation in Pakistan|era of stagflation]] in the country and its manifesto was to bring back the 1970 prices.<ref name="Story of Pakistan press"/>

On social views, the implementation of Islam was its primary election slogan. They promised to enforce Islamic laws "[[Nizam-e-Mustafa Movement|Nizam-e-Mustafa]]" and the [[Sharia law]]s.<ref name="ABC-CLIO"/> The PNA's parties were a conglomerate of diverse views and of contradictory causes and united by common dislike of PPP's autocratic policies:

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="width:auto;min-width:50em"
! colspan=5 | PNA Divergence
|-
! Political parties !! Presiding leadership !! Position !! Color !! Fate
|-
| [[Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan|Jamaat-e-Islami]] ({{colour|#00AAE4|JeI}}) || [[Abul A'la Maududi]] [[Mian Muhammad Tufail|Muhammad Tufail]] || Right-wing || {{colour box|#00AAE4}} || {{Color|green|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
| [[Pakistan Muslim League|Pakistan Muslim League]] ({{colour|#1a7647|PML}}) || [[Mian Mohammed Sharif|Mohammed Sharif]] [[Zahoor Elahi]] [[Pir Pagara]] ||[[Centre right|Centre-right]] || {{colour box|#1a7647}} || {{Color|green|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
|[[Tehrik-e-Istiqlal]] ({{colour|#0BDA51|TeI}}) || [[Asghar Khan]] || [[Right-wing populism|Right]] ||{{colour box|#0BDA51}} || {{Color|green|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
|[[Jamaat Ahle Sunnat]] ({{colour|#009900|JaH}}) || [[Ehsan Elahi Zaheer|Ahsan llahi Zaheer]] || Right || {{colour box|#009900}} || {{Color|green|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
|[[Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan]] ({{colour|#123524|JUeP}}) || [[Shah Ahmad Noorani]] || Right || {{colour box|#123524}} || {{Color|green|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
|[[Pakhtun-khwa Milli Awami Party|Milli Awami Party]] ({{colour|Orange|MAP}}) || [[Mahmood Khan Achakzai|Mahmood Achakzai]] || Left || {{colour box|orange}} || {{Color|green|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
|[[Balochistan National Party (Mengal)|Balochistan National Party]] ({{colour|#FFD700|BNP}}) || [[Akbar Bugti]] || Left-wing ||{{colour box|#FFF700}} || {{Color|purple|neutrality with Zia}}
|-
| [[Awami National Party]] ({{colour|#E62020|ANP}}) || [[Khan Abdul Wali Khan|Abdul Vali Khan]] || [[Left-wing|Left]] || {{colour box|#E62020}} || {{Color|red|In opposition to Zia}}
|-
| [[Pakistan Democratic Party]] ({{colour#E62020|PDP}}) || [[Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan]] ||[[centre-right]] || {{colour box|#1a7647}} || {{colour|red|In alliance with Zia}}
|-
|}

===Right-wing populism and violence===
{{Main|Right-wing politics and violence}}
At this platform, the modern European style-influenced forces formed an alliance with totally opposite of [[Islamic extremism|hard-line Islamist forces]].<ref name="Story of Pakistan press" /> The alliance decided to contest the elections under one election symbol "''plough''" and a green flag with nine stars as its ensign.<ref name="Story of Pakistan press" />

[[File:Flag of IJI.svg|200px|thumb|Each star represented the parties under this alliance. There were nine parties, therefore flag's star represented the nine stars.]]

Contesting the 1977 elections jointly the PNA launched a national campaign against the government after the controversial and allegedly rigged results showing the Peoples Party as an overwhelming victory in the general elections.<ref name="Facts On File"/> The agitation caught the Peoples Party and its political scientists, by surprise and after several months of street fighting and demonstrations. Under advised by his advisers, Bhutto opened negotiations with the then PNA leadership but whether or not it would have been signed by all PNA parties or by Bhutto remains open to speculation. In a single unusual anti-Bhutto bloc, the alliance seemed to be effective when tapping a wave to remove Bhutto from government.<ref name="Facts On File">{{cite book|last=Gerges|first=James Wynbrandt ; foreword by Fawaz A.|title=A brief history of Pakistan|year=2008|publisher=Facts on File|location=New York|isbn=978-0816061846|pages=210–240|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xQGwgJnCPZgC&q=pakistan+national+alliance&pg=PA212}}</ref>

Meanwhile, Bhutto's trusted confident and a lifelong companion dr. [[Mubashir Hassan]] tried to handle the situation on behalf of Bhutto by bringing the alliance on a table to reach an agreement of co-existence and a vital political solution.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace">{{cite book|last=Haqqani|first=Husain|title=Pakistan : between mosque and military|year=2005|publisher=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|location=Washington, DC|isbn=0870032143|edition=1. print.|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/pakistanbetweenm00haqq}}</ref> On other hand, Hassan advised Bhutto to not to rely either on establishment or use the force to curb the alliance.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/> An agreement was eventually reached in June 1977 and Bhutto was to sign it on 5 July.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/> However, despite the enthusiasm of the negotiating team, other PNA leaders had reservations about the agreement.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/> In response, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also tried to crush the power of this alliance, with the help of his agencies such as [[Federal Security Force|FSF]] and [[Pakistan Army Rangers|Rangers]] and for this reason was also considered for the cause of Bhutto's hanging on 4 April 1979.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/> In a coup staged by General Zia, Bhutto was removed from office with majority of his colleagues.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/>

===Authoritarianism and PNA split===
{{Main|Rightwing authoritarianism|Right-wing extremism}}
The conservatives and Islamist fronts went to General [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]], [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] and Admiral [[Mohammad Shariff]], [[Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (Pakistan)|Chairman]] of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee]], and convinced them to remove Bhutto and no other agreement is reached with Bhutto and his colleagues remained stubborn.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/> The absence of a formal agreement between the government and the PNA was used as an excuse by the [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Pakistan Defence Forces]] under its chairman Admiral Mohammad Shariff which led to stage a Coup d'état (see ''[[Operation Fair Play]]'') by General [[General Zia-ul-Haq|Ziaul Haque]] to break the impasse. Those justifying the coup, argue that no agreement had been reached between the two sides.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/>

===Controversy regarding foreign support===
{{Main|Pakistan-United States relations}}
On 5 July 1977, the [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]] accused the United States of plotting the coup and maintained that the coup had tacit consent from the United States.<ref name="Ashgate"/> A few before the martial law, Bhutto had indicated that few foreign powers had been engineering his downfall, though he did not name which foreign powers.<ref name="Ashgate"/> Several Pakistani scholars and researchers have given credence to Bhutto's claim.<ref name="Ashgate">{{cite book|last=Hussain|first=Rizwan|title=Pakistan and the emergence of Islamic militancy in Afghanistan|year=2005|publisher=Ashgate|location=Burlington, VT|isbn=0754644340|pages=80–82|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TRW_M_xybyYC&q=Pakistan+National+Alliance+and+US&pg=PA82}}</ref><ref name=Praeger>{{cite book|last=Nizamani|first=Haider K.|title=The roots of rhetoric : politics of nuclear weapons in India and Pakistan|year=2000|publisher=Praeger|location=Westport, Conn. [u.a.]|isbn=0275968774|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tcTfwCZ0lR4C&q=Pakistan+National+Alliance+and+US&pg=PA90|edition=1. publ.}}</ref> The veracity of these claims are difficult to verify since the United States has strongly rejected any claims of their involvement in downfall of Bhutto.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/><ref>During Bhutto's five years in Pakistan's helm, Bhutto had retained an emotional hold on the poor masses who had voted him overwhelmingly in 1970s general elections. At the same time, however, Bhutto had many enemies. The [socialist economics] and nationalization of major private industries during his first two years on office had badly upsets the Business circles... An ill-considered decision to take over the wheat-milling, rice-husking, sugar mills, and cotton-gaining, industries in July 1976 had angered the small business owners and traders. Both leftists— socilists and communists, intellectuals, students, and trade unionists— felt betrayed by Bhutto's shift to centre-right wing conservative economics policies and by his growing collaboration with powerful feudal lords, Pakistan's traditional power brokers. After 1976, Bhutto's aggressive authoritarian personal style and often high-handed way of dealing with political rivals, dissidents, and opponents had also alienated many.... Quoted by the United States on Bhutto's and PNA alliance tug of war politics</ref> Though, former [[U.S. Attorney General|American Attorney General]] [[Ramsey Clark]] did questioned the "knowledge, hence the tacit approval" of the coup staged against the PPP.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"/><ref>"I [Ramsey Clark] do not believe in conspiracy theories in general, but the similarities in the staging of riots in Chile (where the CIA allegedly helped overthrow President Salvadore Allende) and in Pakistan are just too close, Bhutto was removed from power in Pakistan by force on 5 July, after the usual party on the 4th at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, with U.S. approval, if not more, by General Zia-ul-Haq.[119] Bhutto was falsely accused and brutalized for months during proceedings that corrupted the Judiciary of Pakistan before being murdered, then hanged. As Americans, we must ask ourselves this: Is it possible that a rational military leader under the circumstances in Pakistan could have overthrown a constitutional government, without at least the tacit approval of the United States?" Quoted by former U.S. Attorney General [[Ramsey Clark]]</ref>

Further [[Media of Pakistan|media]] investigative research showed that one of PNA's leading politician, [[Air Marshal]] (retired) [[Asghar Khan]] who was perhaps closer to the secret [[The Establishment|establishment]], had received millions of [[Pakistan Rupee|Rupees]] from the establishment account to fight against the [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Ahmad|first=Ghoofor|title=Phir Marshal Law Agya|year=2011|publisher=Books and publishing in Pakistan|location=Karachi, Sindh Pakistan}}</ref> Reportedly, it was Asghar Khan who ultimately called for military take over and hanging of Bhutto. After imposition of martial law, the retired air marshal withdrew himself from the front line of the PNA and took a back seat.<ref name="Dawn Newspapers">{{cite news|last=From the Newspaper|title=Asghar Khan and PNA's funding|url=http://dawn.com/2012/10/25/asghar-khan-and-pnas-funding/|access-date=20 May 2013|newspaper=Dawn Newspapers|date=25 October 2012}}</ref>

In 1998, [[Benazir Bhutto]] publicly announced her belief that her father was "sent to the gallows at the instance of the superpower (most believe it to be USA) for pursuing the nuclear capability,<ref name="DawnWireService (DWS)">{{cite news|last=Malick|first=Nasir Malick|title=Benazir vows to fight on people's side|url=http://www.lib.virginia.edu/area-studies/SouthAsia/SAserials/Dawn/1998/16May98.html#bena|access-date=17 November 2011|newspaper=DawnWireService (DWS)|date=10 May 1998}}</ref> though she did not disclosed the name of the foreign power.<ref name="DawnWireService (DWS)"/>

==Alliance members==
The Alliance unusually consisted of 9 parties, with complete different ideologies, backgrounds, and political goals. As of today, the parties have been separated from its original bloc, and formed different parties with different names. And, as of the 1970s, the fronts and parties that Bhutto and his colleagues were facing are listed below in their respective categories:
* [[Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan|Jamaat-e-Islami (JI)]]
* [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam|Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI)]]
* [[Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan|Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP)]]
* [[National Awami Party (Wali)|National Democratic Party (NDP)]]
* [[Balochistan National Party (Mengal)|Balochistan National Party (BNP)]]
* [[Muslim League (Qayyum)|Muslim League (Qayyum) (ML-Q)]]
* [[Pakistan Muslim League (F)|Muslim League (Functional) (ML-F)]]
* [[Pakistan Democratic Party|Democratic Party (PDP)]]
* [[Tehrik-e-Istiqlal|Tehreek e Istaqlal]] (TI)

==See also==
* [[Islami Jamhoori Ittehad]]
* [[Politics of Pakistan]]
* [[History of Pakistan]]
* [[List of political parties in Pakistan]]
* [[Movement for Restoration of Democracy]] - a nine-party alliance formed to oppose Zia-ul-Haq

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Government of Prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto}}

[[Category:1970s in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Defunct political party alliances in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Political history of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Awami National Party]]
[[Category:Political repression in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]]
[[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (Q)]]
[[Category:Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan]]
[[Category:Right-wing populism in Asia]]

Pakistan National Alliance - Revision history

ShereeDrm9452: updated details per sources as per guidelines