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Jan 3 Hashim Khan sweeps 1st American Squash Championship Jan 5 Cabinet gives official approval of National Anthem (Chhagla’s instrumental) Jan Major political parties of East Bengal form
United Front (Jugto Front) with a 21-Point Programme Mar United Front sweeps provincial assembly elections
while Muslim League gets only 9 out of 309 seats; former premier of province
Nurul Amin loses his seat Mar 15-Sep 21 Constituent Assembly sessions (36 sittings) Apr Punjab-based feudal lord Iftikhar Hussain of Mamdot appointed Governor of Sind Sheikh Mujibur Rahman appointed minister in Fazlul Cabinet May 15-16 Narain Ganj (EP). 700 massacred as ethnic
violence against non-Bengalis errupt in Adamjee Jute Mills May 24 Dacca. CM Fal-e-Haque disowns statement
supporting independence of Bengal, attributed to him in New York Times
yesterday May Pakistan signs Mutual Defence Assistance Agreement
with USA Jun Defense budget remains at 38% of the total for the next year (the same as previous), and the absolute defense expenditure has also not increased. Jul 24 following ban in EP, The Communist Party
of Pakistan declared illegal in all provinces. Leaders arrested include
Ferozuddin Mansoor, Sibt-e-Hasan Aug 4 Justice Mian Abdur Rasheed heads commission on marriage and family laws also including Khalifa Abdul Hakeem, Maulana Ehteshamul Haque Thanvi, Begum Jahanara Shahnawaz among others Sep Public and Representative Office (Disqualification)
Act of 1949 (PRODA) repealed Oct 7 Sir Zafrullah elected judge to UNO Court
of Justice with 6 votes to 5 for opponent Justice Paul from India in SC Oct 26 Bogra and new cabinet sworn in. Mambers
include Ch. M. Ali, Maj. Gen. Iskander Mirza, M.A.H. Ispahani, Gen. M.
Ayub Khan Nov 20 Bogra appoints Suhrawardy as Law Minister Nov 22 PM Bogra supports One-unit scheme in radio broadcast
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Elections in East Bengal March 12, East Bengal. Polling for elections to the provincial assembly of East Bengal comes to an end today. There were a total of about 20 million voters, listed on the basis of adult franchise and separate electorates. 1,284 candidates appeared for the 309 seats of the assembly (228 Muslims, 9 Muslim women, 30 Caste Hindus, 1 Caste Hindu woman, 36 Scheduled Caste, 2 Scheduled Caste women, 1 Christian and 2 Buddhists). Polling in the Muslim constituencies was held on March 8, in the Muslim women's constituencies (both ordinary and special) on March 9 and 10, while the non-Muslims voted on March 10 and 12. To cater an enthusiastic multitude of voters, there were 6000 polling stations (and as many presiding officers) and about 20000 polling booths (and as many polling officers). A total of 150000 ballot boxes and 18205878 ballot papers were distributed. The Muslim League, which rules the centre, has been given here a tough competition by the United Front - a combination of several political parties who have agreed on a 21-Point Manifesto to replace the Muslim League government in the province, which has been getting increasingly unpopular unpopular since 1947 for economic and political reasons. Lion of Bengal April 3, Dacca. United Front nomineee Fazlul Haq takes oath as Prime Minister of East Bengal. Bengal CM sacked; Iskander Mirza appointed governor
SEATO
Manila, September 8. Pakistan has signed the Southeast Asian Collective Defence Treaty with United States, Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand and the Philippines. The treaty gives formal birth to the organization that was being conceptually called the "Southeast Asian Treaty Organization" (SEATO) for some time now. One unit September 21 Debate on constitutional framework in assembly ends; Sir Feroze Khan Noon suggests unification of West Pakistan provinces, or One-Unit Scheme: residual powers to rest with the resultant two units. The scheme leaked out for the first time by Noon, had been developing secretly in the minds of several West Pakistan power wielders such as Daultana and General Ayub. Assembly to meet again Oct 27 GG's powers restricted September 21 Before adjourning today, the assembly
has passed Hashmi Gazdar's Bill amending Section 10 of 1935 Act to curtail
the powers of the GG. This move is expected to ensure the smooth development
of democratic institutions in future
Constituent Assembly dissolved October 24, Karachi. In a move unprecedented in the country's history, the Governor General Ghulam Mohammad (left) has dissolved the Constituent Assembly, merely 3 days before it was scheduled to meet again. Prime Minister Bogra has been allowed to continue in office
with a new cabinet that will soon be announced The next five years? Objectives of the first Five Year Plan: to raise national income and the standards of living of the people; to improve balance of payments of teh country by increasing exports and by the production of substitutes for imports; to increase employment opportunities; to make progress in providing social services, such as housing, education, health and social welfare; increase rapidly rate of development, especially in East Pakistan |
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Pakistan's expanding blackmarket According to an official estimate, the value of smuggled goods during 1953-4 has been Rs. 30 crore, while the government has completely failed to check the increasing prices of basic commodities. The blackmarket in Pakistan is expanding since the temporary boom in ecomony receded when the US pulled out its forces from the Korean War. Over the last year a total of more than 750000 tons of foodgrains have been received from the United States of America -- even the success of the Bogra Government to overcome the food shortage is not linked with domestic production but directly related to foreign aid.
Aga Khan weighed in platinum February 3. Ismailis weigh His Highness SMS Aga Khan III in platinum, celebrating 70 years of his imamate at Aga Khan Gymkhana, Karachi A huge section of the population is estimated to have become hooked to mystery stories. Ibne Safi, the 26-year-old writer presently living in Karachi, is supposed to be the father of this new cult since he launched his monthly Jasoosi Duniya from Allahabad (India) in 1952. The Golden Jubilee Number issued this January and featuring sketches of stock characters Fareedi, Anwer, Hameed, has seen unprecedented sales. It is not unusual for Safi's books to be sold at black market prices in Pakistan as well as in India, where they are originally published every month. Urdu debate April 22. Maulvi Abdul Haque, popularly hailed as the Father of Urdu, leads 100,000 demonstrators outside the assembly building in Karachi against PML's decision to make Bengali a second national language National Language Status for Bengali May 7. Constituent Assembly declares today that Bengali is to be the 2nd National Language of Pakistan alongside Urdu. Jaal movement July 9: Leading film personalities are arrested in Lahore agitating at Regent Cinema against the realease of Indian film Jaal, which was licensed by Pakistani government for import only to East Pakistan but not in West Pakistan. The Indian films being generally superior in quality to local films are seen as a commercial threat by the local filmmakers. The agitation was led by W.Z.Ahmad, Shaukat Husain Rizvi (left), Saifuddin Saif and Sibtain Fazli while almost all famous talent followed including Noor Jahan (above), Naina, Santosh, Sudhir, Bibbo, Allaudin, M. Ismail. nterestingly, many of these personalities have themselves migrated from Bombay since the partition. K2 explored July 31 Italian mountaineers Noni and Deli reach K-2, the 2nd highest peak in the world. National anthem August 4: The search for proper lyrics for the national
anthem, which
Pakistan wins oval 
Pakistan strikes a spectacular victory at Oval. Fazal Mahmood has taken all 12 wickets (7 catches by Imtiaz Ahmed) for 99 runs. (Above: Captain Kardar waves to applauding crowd.)
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Ibne
Safi leads a new cult