First Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government


The First Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government was the government of Pakistan led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from 1973 until 1977. It was formed after the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan was passed by the Parliament of Pakistan which fully re-established Pakistan as a parliamentary democracy. The government would oversee two different cabinets due to reshuffles, the First Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Cabinet ruled from 1973 until 1974, when the cabinet was reshuffled by Bhutto to the Second Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Cabinet which ruled from 1974 to 1977, which is when general elections were held, and the government was succeeded.
The prime minister of the government, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was acclaimed as a powerful and skilled politician who had served as President of Pakistan under a presidential system government from 1971 to 1973. He was sworn in as the prime minister of the country on 14 August 1973, after securing 108 votes in a house of 146 members. Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry was elected as the president under the new constitution. During its five years of government, the Bhutto administration implemented extensive reforms at every level of governance. Capital and Western reforms initiated and built in 1947 were transformed and replaced with a socialist system throughout the 1970s with extensive nationalization. Bhutto's policies were perceived as people-friendly but failed to yield long-lasting effects, and civil disorder against Bhutto and his administration began to escalate in his second government in 1977.

Second cabinet (1974–1977)

As part of a reshuffle, Prime minister Ali Bhutto removed certain ministers. The new ministers were sworn in October 1974.
NamePortfolioPeriod
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto1. Prime Minister
2. Ministry of Defence
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
4. Ministry of Interior, States and Frontier Regions
22 October 1974 to 28 March 1977
22 October 1974 to 28 March 1977
13 January 1977 to 28 March 1977
Abdul Qayyum KhanMinistry of Interior, States & Frontier Regions22 October 1974 to 13 January 1977
Sheikh Mohammad Rashid1. Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Cooperative Works, Under Developed Areas and Land Reforms22 October 1974 to 5 February 1976
5 September 1976 to 28 March 1977
Khurshid Hasan MeerMinistry of Labour, Health, Social Welfare and Population Planning22 October 1974 to 18 December 1974
Abdul Hafiz Pirzada1. Ministry of Education, Science & Technology and Provincial Coordination
2. Ministry of Education and Provincial Coordination
22 October 1974 to 5 February 1976
5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Rana Mohammad Hanif KhanMinistry of Finance, Planning & Economic Affairs22 October 1974 to 28 March 1977
Malik Meraj Khalid1. Ministry of Law & Parliamentary Affairs
2. Ministry of Labour, Health Social Welfare and Population Planning
3. Ministry of Social Welfare, Local Government, and Rural Development
22 October 1974 to 5 February 1976
21 December 1974 to 10 January 1975
5 February 1976 to 27 March 1977
Mumtaz BhuttoMinistry of Communications22 October 1974 to 28 March 1977
Rafi RazaMinistry of Production Industries and Town Planning22 October 1974 to 28 March 1977
Maulana Kausar Niazi1. Ministry of Religious Affairs
2. Ministry of Religious Affairs, Minority Affairs and Overseas Pakistanis
22 October 1974 to 5 February 1976
5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Yusuf KhattakMinistry of Fuel, Power and Natural Resources22 October 1974 to 13 January 1977
Mir Afzal Khan1. Ministry of Commerce
2. Ministry of Commerce and Tourism
22 October 1974 to 5 February 1976
5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Yahya BakhtiarAttorney General for Pakistan22 October 1974 to 28 March 1977
Hafizullah Cheema1. Ministry of Labour, Health, Social Welfare and Population Planning
2. Ministry of Railways
10 January 1975 to 5 February 1976
5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Syed Qaim Ali Shah1. Ministry of Industries, Kashmir Affairs & Northern Affairs
2. Ministry of Agrarian Management, Kashmir Affairs & Northern Affairs
5 February 1976 to 17 July 1976
17 July 1976 to 28 March 1977
Malik Mohammad Akhtar1. Ministry of Law & Parliamentary Affairs
2. Ministry of Fuel Power and Natural Resources
5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
20 January 1977 to 28 March 1977
Mohammad Haneef KhanMinistry of Information & Broadcasting5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Syed Nasir Ali RizviMinistry of Housing & Works and Urban Development5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Taj Muhammad JamaliMinistry of Labour, Manpower, Health and Population Planning5 February 1976 to 28 March 1977
Mian Mohammad AtaullahMinistry of Industries17 July 1976 to 28 March 1977