“Operation Fair play” revisited after 41 years
Dr. Jassim Taqui
The former Prime Minister ZA Bhutto was facing a grim situation following irregularities in the 1975 elections. The then Opposition leader Maulana Mufti Mahmood, the father of Maulana Fazal- ur- Rehman, exploited the weakness of Bhutto by demanding his resignation and holding of fresh elections.
Mahmood moved quickly and formed PNA. The goal was pressing implementation of Nizam-e-Mustafa (the rule of Islam) and the resignation of Bhutto.
Having served as the personal translator of Bhutto, I can say Bhutto was confused and demoralized especially when Mufti Mahmood mobilized all religious parties into a political alliance, Islamic Jemhuri Ittihad or IJI (Pakistan National Alliance or PNA).
When Bhutto refused resigning or holding fresh elections, the PNA started agitation all over Pakistan. In the last stage of agitation, the PNA called for Payya Jamor Wheel Jam. The move devastated Bhutto who started claiming that the CIA was behind financing PNA. Later, he waved in a public meeting in raja bazaar aconfidential letter sent to him by the then US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance.
Undoubtedly, it was Gen. Zia ul Haq who formed the PNA. The objective was to prepare the ground to impose martial law in Pakistan. He succeeded in imposing martial law on 12 July 1977 in the so-called “Operation Fair Play.”
Gen. Zia ul Haq completely ignored his proclaimed mission of accountability and fair play. He ended hand-in-glove with the corrupt and those involved in drug trafficking and dirty money laundering until his death on August 17, 1988.
Subsequently, civil and military establishment completely forgot about fair play. Gen. Raheel Sharif (2013-2016) revived it. Sharif refused to impose martial law or to fabricate charges against the sitting prime minister though NAB accused him of laundering over $200 billion. Gen. Raheel Sharif, revived Operation Fair Play but could not convince corrupt federal and Provincial Governments to initiate the Operation.
Presently, Gen. Bajwa is perfectly placed to bring Operation Fair Play to its logical conclusion.
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