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1984 Pakistani Islamisation programme referendum

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1984 Pakistani Islamisation programme referendum
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19 December 1984 (1984-12-19)
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“Whether the people of Pakistan endorse the process initiated by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, the President of Pakistan, for bringing the laws of Pakistan in conformity with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and for the preservation of the Islamic ideology of Pakistan, for the continuation and consolidation of that process, and for the smooth and orderly transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people.”
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 21,253,757 98.53%
No 316,918 1.47%
Valid votes 21,570,675 99.17%
Invalid or blank votes 180,226 0.83%
Total votes 21,750,901 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 34,992,425 62.16%

A referendum on the Islamisation policy of President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was held in Pakistan on 19 December 1984. Voters were asked whether they supported Zia-ul-Haq's proposals for amending several laws in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah, whether they wanted this process to continue, and whether they supported the Islamist ideology of Pakistan.[1] The referendum also served as way of extending Zia-ul-Haq's presidential term by five years.[2][3] Zia-ul-Haq had been president since 1978, after taking power in a coup in 1977.

While the Pakistani constitution required that the president be elected by national and provincial assemblies, Zia-ul-Haq justified the referendum's alteration to this process with reference to regional instability caused by the ongoing Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and the recent assassination of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi. He stated that in addition to helping keep Pakistan stable, the principal purpose of the referendum was "establishing Islamic democracy".[4] Western diplomats characterised the referendum as a way to mitigate American-based criticism of the military dictatorship.[5]

Opposition figures criticised the announcement. Shah Faridul Haq of the Islamist Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan party described the referendum plan as "clear fraud", saying that Zia "put the question in such a way that the poor and uneducated voters will be fooled."[5] The Movement for the Restoration of Democracy and the Karachi Bar Association called for the public to boycott the vote.[6][7] Pakistani opposition leaders predicted that Zia-al-Huq would rig the result by stuffing ballot boxes and having government supporters vote multiple times.[8]

Official results declared it approved by 98.5% of voters, with a turnout of 62.2%.[1] Independent observers questioned whether voter participation had reached 30% and noted that there had been "widespread irregularities".[9] The Los Angeles Times published reports of people being turned away at polling places, having been told that they were recorded as having already voted,[10] and the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy described the result as an "unprecedented fraud".[11]

Results

[edit]
ChoiceVotes%
For21,253,75798.53
Against316,9181.47
Total21,570,675100.00
Valid votes21,570,67599.17
Invalid/blank votes180,2260.83
Total votes21,750,901100.00
Registered voters/turnout34,992,42562.16
Source: Nohlen et al.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p677 ISBN 0-19-924958-X
  2. ^ Nohlen et al., p673
  3. ^ Written at Islamabad. "Pakistan's Zia Announces Referendum on His Tenure". Washington Post. Washington, DC. Associated Press. 2 December 1984. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.
  4. ^ Written at Islamabad. "Pakistan's Zia Calls Dec. 19 Referendum on 5 More Years' Rule". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Times Wire Services. 2 December 1984. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.
  5. ^ a b Fineman, Mark (6 December 1984). Written at Karachi. "Pakistan Ballot a Referendum on Zia". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ Written at Islamabad. "Pakistani Outlaws Call for Vote Boycott". New York Times. New York. 6 December 1984. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  7. ^ Written at Karachi. "Pakistan Lawyers Decry Referendum". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Reuters. 13 December 1984. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.
  8. ^ Wallace, Charles P. (19 December 1984). Written at Karachi. "Pakistani President Urges Large Voter Turnout". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.
  9. ^ Richter, William L. (February 1985). "Pakistan in 1984: Digging In". Asian Survey. 25 (2): 147. doi:10.2307/2644298. JSTOR 2644298.
  10. ^ Wallace, Charles P. (20 December 1984). Written at Karachi. "Widespread Irregularities in Pakistan Vote Reported". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.
  11. ^ Written at Islamabad. "Opposition Complains of Fraud, 98% Back Zia in Pakistan Referendum". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Associated Press. 21 December 1984. Retrieved 20 February 2026 – via ProQuest.


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