1958 in Pakistan
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Events
January
- January 2–8 National Assembly sessions (6 sittings)
- 20 January. In the 2nd innings of test match that opened between Pakistan and West Indies on January 17, Haneef Muhammad has set new record by staying on crease for 16 hr 10 min, and scoring 337 runs
February
- February 17-March 13. National Assembly sessions (18 sittings)
- February An Act passed by the Parliament for the permanent settlement of claims on agricultural lands.
March
- March A. K. Fazl-ul-Haque is dismissed as Governor East Pakistan
- March 8, Karachi. In a passionate speech in the Parliament here, Prime Minister Noon has warned the US that Pakistan would delink itself from its alliance with the Americans if it is faced with the threat from India. In words that have thrilled the nation for their sheer music, although alarmed many for their content, he said: Our people, if they find their freedom threatened by Bharat, will break all pacts and shake hands with people whom we have made enemies because of others. Let there be no mistake about it."
In the recent past there has been a growing criticism in Pakistan of US policy towards India. Since 1956, the American attitude towards Pakistan and India has seemed to be on a reversal. A powerful group within the US administration is suggesting that Pakistan, commonly known as "the most allied ally" of the US, has now become a demanding ally. India, on the other hand, can be projected as a model democracy in Asia to combat the moral influence of the communist block. The repercussions of this change in the American attitude is felt all over the place: India has become more stern in its dealing with Pakistan, while in the Parliament here the alliance with the US has been under-attack for a while. The Prime Minister's speech today seems to be a fitting climax to the debate. The drop scene is nobody's guess, though!
- March Hashim Khan has reclaimed squash championship by winning British Open
April
- April 29, Washington D.C. A top secret meeting between Pakistani representatives (General Ayub Khan, Finance Minister Amjad Ali, Ambassador Mohammad Ali of Bogra) and American authorities. Amjad Ali offers excuse for PM (Noon)'s speech by saying that it resulted from harassment.
- April Ataur Rahman Khan appointed CM of East Pakistan
- April When the history of our Country is written by objective Historians, your name will be placed even before that of Mr. Jinnah," thirty-year old Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has written to his President, Iskander Mirza. Bhutto is heading the Pakistani delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in Geneva.
- Jalal ud din Khan, Jalal Baba became Interior Minister.
May
- On 7 May 1958, Joseph Cordeiro was appointed the first Pakistani Archbishop of Karachi.[1]
- May Dr. Khan Sahib assassinated
- May 12. Addressing the Planning Board Staff on the revamping of the Five Year Plan, the Prime Minister has stated that land reforms must not take place in the West Pakistan where the power of the feudals must remain intact. "There has been a great deal of talk about such reforms," Noon said, "Most of the advocates of land reforms were city dwellers who had no knowledge of agriculture and not many of them knew what they were talking about."
- May. Pakistan bags 6 gold medals in Tokyo's Asian Games putting up a slightly better show than in 1954 when the country's tally included only four gold medals. Under Abdul Hameed Hameedi, the Hockey team has won the Asian Games title for the first time.
June
- June 9 Gen Muhammad Ayub Khan’s term as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army extended by PM Feroz Khan Noon on request of President Mirza
- June EP CM Rahman loses office to Abu Husain Sarkar
- June 23 EP CM Abu Husain Sarkar loses office after a no-confidence motion in the East Pakistan Assembly, merely three days after his election by the same house
- June 25 Presidential rule imposed in East Pakistan
July
- July 17 .Film journalist Ilyas Rasheedi has launched annual Nigar Awards for outstanding performance in various departments of filmmaking.
August
- August 25 Parliamentary government restored in East Pakistan; Ataur Rahman again CM
- August. Law and order situation in Baluchistan was reported as unusual, as there is a widespread protest against the federal government over issues of regional autonomy
September
- September 5 Press Commission appointed
- September 1–9 National Assembly sessions (7 sittings)
- September 25. Shahid Ali, Deputy Speaker EP Assembly, dies today. It is believed that the cause of death were the wounds suffered 2 days ago when disorder broke out inside the assembly.
October
- October 6 The Khan of Kalat is dismissed from feifdom on sedition charges and arrested after exchange of fire between the Pakistan Army and Khan’s bodyguards. Some suspect a staged show instigated by President Iskander Mirza
- October 7. Iskander Mirza abrogates the constitution and enforces martial law. General Ayub Khan is named Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA). Political parties are banned.
- October 8. Gen Ayub Khan who took over the country as Chief Martial Law Administrator yesterday, today made his first broadcast from the radio station in Karachi (and is feared to have developed a dislike for its Director Z.A. Bukhari).
He has said in his first radio broadcast that the army has entered politics with reluctance. He warns the political leaders, smugglers, black-marketeers and disruptionists. Meanwhile the Constitution has been declared null and void.
- October 27 Ayub and his Cabinet takes oaths. In a dramatic turn of events late night, President Iskander Mirza resigned, giving over his office to Gen Ayub Khan, who had taken oath as Prime Minister just this morning. Ayub now becomes the country’s 2nd President, though without a constitution. He remained Prime Minister for around 13 hours only, thus becoming the shortest-serving Premier in the history of the country so far. The press release declares it a voluntary transfer of power but, behind the curtains, the transfer letter was actually been wrung from the ambitious Mirza on gun point, by the 3 military members of Ayub’s cabinet. General Ayub Khan, who was nominated Prime Minister by President Mirza on 24th, has taken the oath today. He has also announced his cabinet: three military officials including Lt General Azam Khan, and eight civilians including a young politician Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
- October 31 Land Reforms Commission appointed with Akhtar Husain, Governor of West Pakistan as chairman
November
- November 19 Maritime Commission appointed
- November 23 law Reform Commission appointed
- November 27 Exiled by the military regime, Iskander Mirza leaves for London
December
- December 2 Administrative Re-organization Committee appointed
- December 8 Gawadar, formerly a feif of the Sultan of Oman, is handed over to Pakistan
- December 30 Commission on National Education appointed
- December Ayub Khan inaugurates the Korangi Colony outside Karachi for rehabilitation of the refugees from India
Last year's census shows that 51% of total output in large scale manufacturing is controlled by only 6% of the business houses in the country. This may be considered a result of the laissez-fair, private sector-led economy that the government has been encouraging since 1947. An unequal rate of growth between the two wings of the country seems to have been an important feature of economic development since the independence: only one-fifth of large-scale manufacturing is located in East Pakistan
In a spree of purging the society of unwanted elements, the army regime has shortlisted 1,661 allegedly corrupt officials
The military regime has arrested Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Sibt-e-Hasan and Faiz Ahmad Faiz, the editors of Lail-o-Nihar, Imroze and Pakistan Times respectively. All journals belong to Progressive Papers Ltd, whose major shareholder is Mian Iftikharuddin, the veteran leftist leader