At the time of Independence, the political and social elites of Pakistan came from Hindu- and Sikh-dominated urban centres of Punjab, while Muslim politics was dominated by rural feudals, large landowners and bradri (caste) chieftains. After the departure of the non-Muslim elite, traditional rural feudal politicians, incapable of grasping the essentials of running a modern state, kept themselves occupied with palace conspiracies. The reins of the Pakistani state thus came to rest, by default, mostly in the hands of culturally alien migrated elites of Uttar Pradesh. The traditional brand of politicking did not cease either in the pre-Martial Law parliamentary stunts of the 1947-1958 era, or during Ayub Khan´s hybrid political system of "Basic Democracy". The mass of the population remained un-empowered. It was waiting for a new leadership to take the place of the migrated non-Muslim elites. This was the situation when the Pakistan People´s Party (PPP) made its entrance and the party, founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, led the first-ever socio-political revolution in the heartland of Punjab, which is its real power base.
At the time of Independence, the political and social elites of Pakistan came from Hindu- and Sikh-dominated urban centres of Punjab, while Muslim politics was dominated by rural feudals, large landowners and bradri (caste) chieftains. After the departure of the non-Muslim elite, traditional rural feudal politicians, incapable of grasping the essentials of running a modern state, kept themselves occupied with palace conspiracies. The reins of the Pakistani state thus came to rest, by default, mostly in the hands of culturally alien migrated elites of Uttar Pradesh. The traditional brand of politicking did not cease either in the pre-Martial Law parliamentary stunts of the 1947-1958 era, or during Ayub Khan´s hybrid political system of "Basic Democracy". The mass of the population remained un-empowered. It was waiting for a new leadership to take the place of the migrated non-Muslim elites. This was the situation when the Pakistan People´s Party (PPP) made its entrance and the party, founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, led the first-ever socio-political revolution in the heartland of Punjab, which is its real power base.
The population of middle Punjab, the non-feudal belt stretching from Khaniwal to Rawalpindi, comprising mostly of peasants, artisans and labourers at the time of Independence, was ´coming of age´ when PPP was formed in late 1967. Ayub Khan´s Green Revolution in agriculture, the formation of an industrial base, rapid urbanisation and extension of educational services, had produced a significant mass of educated youth that was semi- or totally unemployed. By 1968, when Ayub Khan was celebrating ten years of his rule, the Pakistan People´s Party, led by Mr Bhutto, was igniting fires in the area. The population was keen to better their lives by freeing the system from the stranglehold of the traditional feudal and bureaucratic elites. The downtrodden masses, urban poor, owner peasants living on the economic fringe and the rural poor kammis (menial labourers) were ready to follow the mass of politically conscious, unemployed youth, who, for their part, were ready to put their lives on the line.
The anti-Ayub Khan movement of 1968-1969, for the restoration of democracy, turned into an expression demanding economic and political change. The campaign touched every home in every town, village and hamlet in central Punjab. Provided with the revolutionary slogan of roti, kapda aur makaan (food, clothing and shelter) and targeting the feudalism and bureaucracy for keeping the country impoverished, this fired-up youth generated a mammoth movement in which, among others, caste system and religious sectarianism were both smashed. It was this strong momentum created by the millions of PPP workers that kept the party alive for the next 25 years.