State in the northwestern part of the South Asian subcontinent.
Territory - 806.5 thousand sq. km.
Population - 79.9 million (mid-1979 estimate): Punjabis, Sindhi, Pashtuns, Baluchis, Brakui, etc.
The capital is Islamabad (over 100 thousand inhabitants.).
The state language is Urdu (English is the official language).
The state religion is Islam.
Pakistan was formed in August 1947 as a result of the division of the former British colony of India into two dominions - Pakistan and India. Until December 1971, it consisted of two parts - western and eastern, separated by Indian territory. In December 1971, as a result of the victory of the national liberation movement in the territory of the former East Pakistan, the People's Republic of Bangladesh was formed.
The policy of focusing on Western countries, pursued by the representatives of the bourgeois-landlord circles in power, led to the annexation of Pakistan to the military blocs SEATO (1954) and CENTO (1955). In March 1956, Pakistan adopted the country's first constitution, according to which the former. British dominion was proclaimed a republic. In 1958-68. Ayub Khan's government, which came to power as a result of a military coup, carried out a number of measures to develop the country's economic development, and also took steps to develop relations with the USSR and other socialist countries, and limited Pakistan's participation in the activities of military blocs.
In April 1965, a military conflict broke out between Pakistan and India. The efforts of the USSR , supported by a number of Asian and African states, led to a ceasefire by the belligerents and to a meeting between the leaders of Pakistan and India in Tashkent (January 1966), which ended with the signing of the Declaration, which laid the foundation for the normalization of relations between the two countries.
In late 1968 and early 1969, a broad movement for socio-economic transformation unfolded in Pakistan. In March 1969, amid increasing political instability in the country, President Ayub Khan handed over power to the army commander, General Yahya Khan. In December 1970, the first general elections in the history of Pakistan were held, which were won by the parties that advocated the program of democratic transformation: in East Pakistan - the People's League, in West Pakistan - the Pakistani People's Party. The People's League demanded the transfer of power to the elected parliament and the consolidation of the broad autonomy of East Pakistan in the constitution. Pakistan's ruling circles refused to accept these demands, which led to an acute political crisis.
In December 1971, a military conflict broke out between Pakistan and India, culminating in the surrender of the Pakistani army in East Pakistan and defeat on the western front.
Military defeat and political bankruptcy led to the fall of the military regime and the rise to power of the government of the Pakistan People's Party. A number of urgent socio-economic transformations were carried out in the country: laws on the nationalization of 10 leading industries were issued, private banks and insurance companies, as well as shipping companies and trade in petroleum products, were transferred to the state's ownership, an agrarian reform and some measures in the social sphere began to be carried out.
In July 1972, the Simla Agreement was signed between Pakistan and India, aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries. In accordance with this agreement, the repatriation of prisoners of war was carried out, trade, telephone and telegraph communications, air communications were restored, and in May 1976 - diplomatic relations. In 1972 Pakistan left the Commonwealth of Nations, the SEATO bloc, and in February 1974 officially recognized the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
In 1977, a general election to the National Assembly was held, winning the Pakistani People's Party. However, the bloc of opposition parties - the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) did not recognize the election results, demanded the resignation of the PPP government and the holding of new elections. As a result, an acute political crisis arose in the country, and on May 5, 1977, the military administration headed by General Zia-ul-Haq took power into its own hands. The new regime suspended certain articles of the constitution, dissolved parliament, and launched an attack on the civil rights of workers.
In March 1979 Pakistan announced its withdrawal from the CENTO bloc. At the VI Conference of Heads of State and Government of Non-Aligned Countries in Havana (1979), he was admitted to the Non-Aligned Movement.
At the same time, recently, the military regime of Pakistan, under pressure from Washington and Beijing, has provided its territory as a springboard for aggressive actions by Afghan counterrevolutionaries and other reactionary forces against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
According to the constitution adopted in 1973, Pakistan is a federal republic consisting of 4 provinces (Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Northwest Frontier Province), the federal capital Islamabad and the tribal zones. The head of state is the president (since September 1978 - General Zia-ul-Haq), he also heads the federal cabinet, formed in April 1979.
In October 1979, the activities of political parties were banned, and the laws of martial law were strengthened. The Pakistani People's Party (PPP) —founded in 1967, relies on the small and middle bourgeoisie of the city and countryside, part of the intelligentsia. From December 1971 to July 1977 she was in power. Pakistani National Alliance - a bloc of political parties, created in January 1977. National Democratic Party - formed in 1975. Pakistani Socialist Party - created in 1972. "Jamaat-i-Islami" - a religious-communal party, enjoys the support of the Muslim clergy, advocates the transformation of Pakistan into a theocratic state. Tehrik-i-Istiklal - formed in 1970
Major unions: Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Pakistan Workers' Federation, Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Pakistan National Federation of Trade Unions.
Pakistan is an agricultural country. The share of agriculture in the GNP in 1978/79 was about 30%, industry - 15.9%. There are reserves of natural gas, oil, rock salt, coal, copper, marble, gypsum, etc.
The leading role in the economy is played by the private sector (provides about 80% of industrial production). 22 monopoly groups control 70% of the banking and industrial sectors. capital. The main industries are: textile, chemical, cement, oil refining and shipbuilding. Agriculture employs 60% of the economically active population.
The land is mainly concentrated in the hands of landlords and kulaks. Harvest in 1978/79 (in millions): wheat - 9.9, rice - 3.27, sugar cane - 27.3, cotton - 0.5. There is not enough food grain. In 1978/79, 2 million tons of wheat were imported. The USSR is rendering assistance to Pakistan in the construction of a metallurgical plant in Karachi with a capacity of 1.1 million tons of steel per year and the Guddu TPP.
Length of rail roads, including narrow-gauge, - 8.8 thousand km, highways - about 21 thousand km (1979). Air transport is developed. Sea Shorts - Karachi.
The monetary unit is the rupee. 100 rupees = 6.61 rubles. (in February 1980).
Main export items: cotton, x.-b. fabrics, leather and leather goods, footwear, sporting goods, carpets, surgical instruments; imports: oil, machinery and equipment, fertilizers, cars, locomotives, etc.
Main trading partners: USA, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia.
Huge military spending, amounting to 44% of the budget, led to a sharp deterioration in the situation of the working people. There are over 4 million unemployed in the country.
