Muhammad Khan Junejo Tenth Prime Minister of Pakistan
Muhammad Khan Junejo was born on August 18, 1932 at Sindhri, Sind. After completing his senior Cambridge, he went to U.K. for a diploma in Agriculture.
Political Career
Junejo started his political career at the age of twenty one. In 1962, he was elected Member Provincial Assembly, West Pakistan from Sanghar. He was appointed Minister in the West Pakistan cabinet in July 1963 and held the portfolios of Health, Basic Democracies and Local Government, Works, Communications and Railways.
After partyless polls were held for the national and provincial assembles in 1985, Muhammad Khan Junejo was appointed Prime Minister by General Zia. He was however, dismissed on May 29, 1988 by the President using discretionary power given under the eighth amendment.
Muhammad Khan Junejo was elected member of the National Assembly in 1990, and died of illness in 1992.
After the Presidential referendum of December 1984, elections for the National and Provincial Assemblies were held in February 1985 on a non-party basis. President Zia-ul-Haq nominated Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister of Pakistan on March 20, 1985.
On being nominated, Muhammad Khan Junejo promised the nation that he would lift the Martial Law and restore a civilian government as soon as possible. Junejo’s position was weak and vulnerable under the constitutional amendments made by Zia, which made the position of the President paramount and that of the Prime Minister subordinate. Despite his weak position, Junejo, after being sworn in as the Prime Minister, carried out his promise of lifting the Martial Law and the restoration of fundamental rights, but at the price of the Eight Amendment and validating the Revival of the Constitutional Order.
Muhammad Khan Junejo introduced a five-point program in December 1985. The program was multidimensional in nature. The main objectives were to induct a new and progressive civilian order, establish institutions of social justice, introduce an egalitarian economy, increase employment opportunities, strike hard at corruption and other social evils, liberate at least 50 percent of the people from illiteracy, and to start socio-economic development of the country.
After the lifting of Martial Law, Junejo tried to take a course independent of Zia. He annoyed military generals by withdrawing big staff cars from them and replacing them with small cars. He tried to conduct an independent foreign policy, particularly on Afghanistan, by taking into confidence and consulting leaders of political parties, including Benazir Bhutto, the leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party. His government even tried to probe into the military fiasco at the Ojheri Camp near Islamabad on April 10, 1988, which resulted in the death and serious injuries to a large number of civilians. This probe perhaps became the immediate cause for the dismissal of his government.
Junejo met at the end of the sudden and unexpected as he was returning from a visit to South Korea on May 29, 1988. And refused to General Zia Junejo government to use the controversial base in accordance with Article 58 (2) (b) of the Constitution. According to Gen. Zia ul-Haq, had been rejected because of the situation Junejo government, law and order broke down to an alarming extent, government can not be managed in accordance with the Constitution. Not only dismissed Junejo government, but also the federal and regional associations and provincial cabinets and ministers to their President. Installation of Gen. Zia ul-Haq form a new government transition in the center and the provinces. He promised to hold new elections after 90 days but in the end held in November 16, 1988, three months after the death of Zia ul-Haq in a plane crash.
Although the Junejo has no claim on the authority of his own, as Zia has been appointed as prime minister, but his performance was commendable. With limited options, he said what was possible for him. Returned the fundamental rights of citizens under the Constitution, which had been denied for too long. Try to put the country on the path of development and made some progress, especially in the field of road construction in rural areas, electrification of villages. Was sincere, polite, and was low-key political figure, and attributes that are not easy to find in today’s political leaders
Muhammad Khan Junejo Pictures
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