 In September 1969 the Pakistani government nationalized Pakistan International Airlines and appointed Durrani as its new managing director.In July 1971 he was appointed Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan but when the Pakistani military government lost a disastrous war against India in December, SU Durrani's meteoric rise was over.When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto became President and Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan in December 1971, Durrani was put under house arrest and later sent to prison.