On This Day: April 4, 1979 - Deposed Pakistani PM, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is executed

[MenInG]

Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has been hanged in spite of international calls for clemency.
Mr Bhutto, 51, who had been Pakistan's leader since 1973, was deposed in an army coup 18 months ago.

He was sentenced to death for the murder of a political opponent following a trial which was widely condemned as unfair.

The appeal process was also tainted by allegations of bias on the part of some judges.

No advance warning of the execution had been given.

Mr Bhutto's wife and daughter, Benazir, who are both under house arrest, visited him on the morning before his death.

They had been told it would be their last meeting but the military regime, led by General Zia ul-Haq, continued to deny an execution was imminent.

Autocratic leader

Few details have emerged of the circumstances surrounding the hanging but it is believed to have taken place at 0200 local time (2100 GMT, 3 April) in the Rawalpindi district jail in north-east Pakistan.

Pakistanis learnt of Mr Bhutto's death when it was announced on state radio at 1100 local time (0600 GMT).

Shortly after his execution, Mr Bhutto's body was flown to his home village in the Sind province and buried in the family plot.

His wife and his daughter were not permitted to attend the funeral.

Another four men convicted with Mr Bhutto of murder remain in prison.

Mr Bhutto, a member of a rich and influential family, was known as an autocratic leader but was respected internationally.

His death looks set to lead to Pakistan's isolation on the world stage.

The United Nations' Secretary-General, Kurt Waldheim, said he deplored the decision by Pakistan's leaders to ignore appeals for clemency.

British Prime Minister James Callaghan, who made a third appeal for Mr Bhutto's life only yesterday, expressed his "deep regret".


http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/4/newsid_2459000/2459507.stm

 

[blue_champion]

Are there any “local” tweets to condemn what was a pretty horrific act of dictatorship?

Sure it is history but could have used it as motivator to spread the virtues of democracy

 

[OoparCut]

Why was he hanged anyway? What was his accused crime?

 

[BouncerGuy]

Bilawal consults legal minds on ZAB reference

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday consulted legal minds of his party on the presidential reference case of his late grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The development came during a meeting of central and provincial officials as well as legal experts of the Peoples Lawyers Forum (PLF) at Zardari House here. Bilawal chaired the meeting.

During the meeting, the PLF officials briefed Bilawal on the presidential reference case of ZAB. Farooq H Naik and Shahadat Awan participated in the meeting through video link while Qazi Bashir, Bahram Khan Tareen, Raheel Kamran Cheema, Sajid Tanoli, Gohar Rehman Khattak, Ghiyasul Haque and Asrar Abbasi were present.

Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Faisal Karim Kundi, Raza Rabbani and Amna Paracha were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, a civil society delegation also met with Bilawal and discussed the challenges faced by the masses and their solutions.

Bilawal appreciated the delegation for their services and performance in their respective fields.

Ahmed Faraz Khan Advocate, Barrister Saifullah Ghori, Bilal Tariq Khan, Dr Abdul Mohiman, Dr Maria Hamid, Dr Salma Malik, Faheem Sardar, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir, Huma Fawad, Jahanzeb Durrani and Kanwal Malik were among those who met the PPP chairman.

Lubna Bhayat, SM Tariq, Javed Akhtar, Pir Mohammad Anwar, Junaid, Raja Mohammad Khan, Sania Kamran, Shehbaz Zaheer, Shamamata Al Ambararbab, Buland Sohail, Kashaf Ahmed, Talha Rahmani, Osama Malik, Usman Iqbal Bandal and Yusuf Masih were part of the delegation. PPP Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi was also present on this occasion.

Bilawal consults legal minds on ZAB reference | The Express Tribune

PPP chairman also met civil society delegation; appreciates performance in respective fields

tribune.com.pk

 

[hassan918]

Bilawal files plea for live telecast of ZAB murder reference​

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday requested the Supreme Court to live telecast the hearing of a presidential reference revisiting the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto murder case.

A nine-member larger bench led by CJP Qazi Faez Isa will take up the matter tomorrow ( Tuesday).

“The applicant wants the hearing of this case to be live or on air," said the application filed by Bilawal.

According to Supreme Court Registrar Jazeela Aslam, the members of the bench included Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminud Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali.

On April 2, 2011, then-president Asif Ali Zardari approached the apex court through a presidential reference under Article 186 of the Constitution of Pakistan to seek its opinion on revisiting the trial of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder.

The last hearing of the reference took place on November 11, 2012.

Source: The Express Tribune

 

[hassan918]

I don't think if this is going to change anything. Most people already believe that he should never get that death sentence and he didn't get the justice.

 

[BouncerGuy]

PPP submits written reply in Bhutto case to SC

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party has submitted its written response to the Supreme Court in the presidential reference regarding the death sentence of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari submitted a 108-page written response to the court on Saturday through lawyer Farooq H Naik, which states that Bhutto was awarded the death sentence on a false charge under duress.

References to various books have been given in favour of the position, while in this context, the details of the interview of former chief justice of Pakistan late Naseem Hasan Shah have also been included.

In the written reply, the USB and CD of the interview of former CJP Naseem and the transcript of the interview in English and Urdu have also been submitted.

A nine-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali, will hear the Bhutto presidential reference case on Jan 8.

The reference was filed on behalf of former president Asif Ali Zardari on April 2, 2011, for an opinion on revisiting the death sentence awarded to the former premier under the Supreme Court’s advisory jurisdiction.

It was filed before the top court under Article 186 (1 and 2) of the Constitution, which empowers the president to refer any question of public importance to the Supreme Court to seek its opinion on an issue.

The reference was last heard by an 11-judge panel, headed by then chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, in Jan 2012.

In March 1978, a four-member bench of Lahore High Court had awarded the death sentence to Bhutto, which was later challenged in the top court. In a four to three split verdict, a seven-judge SC had bench upheld the sentence during the military regime of the then-army chief Gen Ziaul Haq in March 1979.
​

PPP submits written reply in Bhutto case to SC | The Express Tribune

108-page response says Bhutto was awarded death sentence on false charge under duress

tribune.com.pk

 

[Cricket Warrior]

SC to resume hearing reference against Zulfikar Bhutto's death sentence today

A Supreme Court larger bench on Monday (today) would resume hearing a much-pending presidential reference against the death penalty awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto — the country’s first elected chief executive and founder of the nuclear programme.

The apex court larger bench — led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali — would resume hearing the presidential reference seeking to revisit the 1979 “controversial” death sentence awarded to the PPP founder.

Bhutto was hanged to death on April 4, 1979, in the Rawalpindi district jail in a murder case. His party, however, termed the capital punishment to Bhutto as “judicial murder”.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari, on April 2, 2011, approached the apex court through a presidential reference under Article 186 of the Constitution to seek its opinion on revisiting the trial of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder.

It is pertinent to mention here that Bhutto served as the country’s foreign minister from 1963 to 1966. He also served as president of the country from 1971 to 1973 (almost a 20-month period) and as premier from 1973 to 1977.

The PPP has already submitted its written comments to the apex court last day along with some additional documents including transcripts and video recordings of various interviews.

During the previous hearing on December 12, 2023, Justice Mansoor raised questions over the presidential reference.

The SC judge sought assistance in determining the questions of law, observing that the court had already dismissed the appeal against its verdict which had also achieved the finality.

“The Supreme Court can’t hear another appeal on the matter. How can we rehear the matter that had been closed?”

The court proceedings of the reference were broadcast live on the official website and the YouTube channel of the apex court.



Source: The News

 

[hassan918]

Supreme Court hears Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference to revisit case​

ISLAMABAD: A nine-member larger bench of the Supreme Court on Monday heard a long-pending presidential reference, seeking to revisit the 1979 ‘controversial’ death sentence awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, ARY News reported.

The larger bench – headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa heard the case. The bench was also comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Amin Ud Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, and Justice Musarrat Hilali.

Bilawal Bhutto and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Raza Rabbani, Farooq H Naek and Attorney General Mansoor Awan were also present in the courtroom.

“I have received an envelope from a private television channel, it seems a hard disk,” Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa said. “We have also submitted transcripts and videos,” Farooq Naek told the court. “We will watch the video and transcript from the private tv first,” Justice Isa said.

Raza Rabbani came to rostrum. “Are you amicus curiae,” CJP asked. “I am not amicus curiae, I am lawyer of Sanam, Bakhtawar and Aseefa Bhutto,” Rabbani replied. “I have submitted petition to be a party in the case,” he added.

Barrister Salahuddin, an amicus curiae in case came to rostrum. “My wife has been granddaughter of Nawab Ahmed Qasuri, ask the sides if they have any objection to my assistance to court,” Barrister Salahuddin said.

“It is serious matter if the spouse has raised objection,” CJP said. “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s heirs have no objection,” Naek replied.

“My father was lawyer of DG FSF and approver in the case Masood Mehmood in Bhutto case. If someone have any objection over me,” Khawaja Haris said.

“Four questions have been asked in this presidential reference,” Makhdoom Ali Khan, an amicus curia in the case said.

“Read Article 186 of the constitution first under which this reference sent to court,” chief justice said.

“If we have any option, not to hear the reference,” CJP questioned. “Constitutionally, this court have no option except to give its opinion on the reference,” Makhdoom Ali Khan said.

“There will be another option if the question asked in presidential reference is ambiguous,” the lawyer said.

“Still the court have option to give its opinion if it deems the question is ambiguous,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah remarked. “There is a unique case before the court,” Makhdoom Ali Khan said.

“The Chief Justice has summoned transcript of the interview in this case,” Makhdoom Ali said.

“Basically, the reference is based on the interview of former judge Naseem Hassan Shah,” Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar said.

Makhdoom Ali Khan read the letter of Sharifuddin Pirzada. “Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s sister had submitted a mercy appeal to the president, Bhutto himself didn’t file any mercy plea,” Makhdoom Ali Khan said.

Ahmad Raza Kasuri reached to rostrum. “You sit on the seat,” chief justice told Kasuri. “Allow the amicus curia to complete,” CJP said. “If you have any objection, write it,” CJP added.

“Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was awarded death sentence with split verdict of 4-3,” Makhdoom Ali Khan said. “A judge, in an interview later said that he had given decision under duress,” the lawyer said.

“Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was handed death sentence, and the decision was implemented, he could not return. We can only give our opinion over the presidential reference,” chief justice said.

“What is legal question before us,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah asked. “If we give opinion to revisit the supreme court judgment on the basis of the interview,” he further said. “The interview was one of the judges of the bench, there were other judges in it,” Justice Shah said.

“If we summon the people concerned with the interview to initiate inquiry. Only watching interview, we could not say, this happened. The court, under Article 186 could give its opinion over legal questions,” he added.

“What legal question has been asked in the Bhutto reference,” Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar asked.

The video of Justice (retd) Naseem Hassan Shah was shown in courtroom on the instruction of the chief justice.

“When this interview was recorded,” CJP asked. “The interview taken on December 03, 2003,” Farooq Naek replied.

“What I realize, is that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case’s decision was wrong,” Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said.

“The court should revisit every criminal case, where justice not served and politics involved,” chief justice said.

“You said it is a unique case, different from others, the court should treat it separately,” Chief Justice addressed to Makhdoom Ali Khan.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa said that the court seeing over restoration of the honour of a person and correction of the history.

“The sole point is this the judiciary was not independent,” Justice Mansoor said. “How can we entangle in an exercise that the bench was not independent,” he asked.

“In this case opinion of a judge could not be ignored. The ratio of the bench in Bhutto case points out that the opinion of a single judge is important,” chief justice said. “With single vote of a judge a man was hanged,” he added.

“This decision is an excess with justice,” Makhdoom Ali Khan said. “If the supreme court is responsible for it? Or the prosecution and the Martial Law Administrator of that time,” chief justice questioned.

“In my opinion, we should correct our history. The stigma is not over a family only but also over institutions,” Justice Musarrat Hilali remarked.

Chief Justice at the end of the hearing of the day in written order of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto presidential reference said:

“Raza Rabbani told the court that he was representing Sanam, Aseefa and Bakhtawar Bhutto”. “Zahid Ibrahim representing Fatima Bhutto and Zulfiqar Junior”.

“Khawaja Haris’s father was lawyer of approver Masood Mehmood in the case. Raza Rabbani objected over Khawaja Haris’s being amicus curia. Khawaja Haris separated him from the case as amicus curia,” according to the court order.

The bench adjourned further hearing of the reference until third week of February.

Former President Asif Ali Zardari had approached the Supreme Court in 2011 through a Presidential Reference under Article 186 of the Constitution, seeking to revisiting the trial of the PPP founder and former prime minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Source: ARY

 

[BouncerGuy]

Courts may revisit verdicts if injustice proven, CJP observes in Bhutto case

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa observed on Monday that by hearing the long-pending presidential reference — seeking to revisit the 1979 controversial death sentence awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) — the Supreme Court is concerned with the repute of the person, posterity, history, and determining whether such an exercise sets a good precedence for future courts.

CJP, heading the nine-judge Supreme Court bench addressing the reference, explained that the court could revisit its earlier judgements if it is established that a great miscarriage of justice occurred due to the departure from Constitution or political elements in the prosecution.

But to do so, it has to establish the requirements of Article 4 of the Constitution, which ensures that the right of individuals should be dealt with in accordance with the law, CJP said.

When Article 4 cannot be suspended even if emergency was proclaimed or the Constitution was abrogated or put in abeyance, why a person should be prevented from approaching the Supreme Court on the grounds that the requirements of Article 4 were ignored.

Bilawal seeks timely decision, sees chance to rectify history

“Why the court should not revisit all the cases where such departures were made,” CJP questioned.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah questioned if the court could revisit the judgement by relying on an interview of former CJP Dr Naseem Hasan Shah by journalist Iftikhar Ahmed, taking it at face value. In the interview, Dr Shah claimed that the conviction against Mr Bhutto was the result of pressure.

Justice Shah further questioned whether the court should not conduct a proper inquiry to conclude that injustice was done, especially when other members of the bench, that handed down the same conviction, have not come forward. He noted that it was only one judge who had given the interview.

Senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan, appointed amicus curiae by the court, said the present matter was a unique case in the common law jurisdiction where a judge, who was part of the narrowest majority of the bench, gave an interview much after his retirement.

The court postponed further hearing on the reference after the general elections.

Timely decision in ZAB case sought

In a relevant development, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his desire for the decision to be announced before the polls.

In a news conference outside the Supreme Court building after the hearing, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said, “We demanded from the incumbent chief justice that the case must be concluded after the elections and not left on the back burner, as happened in the past when former CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry started the case and after two or three hearings, he forgot about it.”

The PPP chief stated that the judiciary has an opportunity to rectify history.

“The way this case [ZAB’s case] was decided, a precedent was set, and such injustice was repeated time and again. Today we have a chance to set right the history and close the doors of injustice forever.”

Taking a different stance from his previous speeches, where he aggressively criticised PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Mr Bhutto-Zardari urged both PML-N and PTI to learn from their past mistakes to brighten the future for coming generations.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari expressed firm confidence that the next general elections would be held on schedule on Feb 8, as assured by CJP Isa.

Later, US Ambassador, Donald Blome, called on Mr Bhutto-Zardari at Zardari House.

According to the PPP central secretariat, both Mr Bhutto-Zardari and the US ambassador discussed the promotion of bilateral relations. They also exchanged views on ways to increase trade. PPP leader Farhatullah Babar and former Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah were also present during the meeting.
​

SOURCE: DAWN

 

[hassan918]

CJP Isa sees Bhutto reference as opportunity for judiciary, army to restore reputation​

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has wondered whether the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference is an opportunity for the Supreme Court and armed forces to rectify their past mistakes and restore their reputation.

“Isn't this an opportunity for both institutions to get rid of the accusations hurled against them,” the top judge remarked on Tuesday during a hearing of a presidential reference related to the death sentence awarded to the former PM Bhutto in 1979.

The apex court larger bench — led by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali — heard the presidential reference seeking to revisit the “controversial” death sentence awarded to former PM Bhutto in 1979.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and amicus curiae with expertise on the criminal and constitutional sides attended today’s hearing.

CJP Isa also said that imposing martial law is a decision of an individual and not of an institution of the army.

“Isn’t the verdict in the Bhutto reference draw a line for the judiciary and the army,” he added.

The Supreme Court also decided to hear the heirs of the late PPP founder and complainant Ahmad Raza Kasuri in the presidential reference.

CJP Isa directed all respondents to keep their arguments short and said that the top court wanted to conclude the hearing of the case before the retirement of a judge part of the larger bench.

Amicus Curiae Makhdoom Ali Khan told the bench that the interviews of former judges Naseem Hassan Shah, Dorab Patel, and Aslam Riaz were on record to prove the biases of the judges who awarded capital punishment to the PPP founder.

He said former judge Qaiser Rashid Khan had said that “even a cat cannot be awarded death penalty based on the evidence” present in the ZA Bhutto case.

Khan also said that the court can announce the verdict in the ZA Bhutto case under Article 187.

During the hearing, Justice Shah remarked that the court could not examine the merit of the case since the verdict had already been announced.

However, the court can look into how the former PM was sentenced to death.

“If the court has to ascertain whether the judges announced the verdict under duress then what would be the evidence [to back the claim],” he remarked.

The hearing of the case has been adjourned till February 26.

In its written order of today’s proceedings, the Supreme Court said amicus curiae Khalid Javed Khan has submitted his response to the court, while the PPP chief’s counsel Farooq H Naek, Raza Rabbani and Zahid Ibrahim will present their arguments after amicus curies.

Bhutto was hanged to death on April 4, 1979, in the Rawalpindi district jail in a murder case. His party, however, termed the capital punishment to Bhutto as “judicial murder”.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari, on April 2, 2011, approached the apex court through a presidential reference under Article 186 of the Constitution to seek its opinion on revisiting the trial of the PPP founder.

On December 12 last year, the larger bench, while hearing the matter, had appointed amicus curiae with expertise on the criminal and constitutional sides, seeking their assistance, particularly on the matter of maintainability of the instant reference, pending with the court for 11 years.

Source: GEO

 

[BouncerGuy]

SC asked to rectify ‘miscarriage of justice’ in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case

Continuing his arguments as amicus curiae for a second day on Wednesday, retired Supreme Court judge Manzoor Malik described the presidential reference seeking an opinion on revisiting the death penalty awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as “historical question”, saying it’s for the top court to rectify the miscarriage of justice or simply brush it aside on technical grounds.

Justice Malik, an expert in criminal law, cited an application of the PPP founder before the Lahore High Court seized with the murder trial, uttering the historical words: “It was not a trial of murder but a murder of trial.”

Though the reference has been sent by the president under the court’s advisory jurisdiction, the Supreme Court has the authority to do complete justice by invoking Article 187 of the Constitution, contended Justice Malik.

A nine-judge SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, had recently taken up the reference filed in April 2011 on behalf of then president Asif Ali Zardari. The court hinted at concluding the proceedings on Monday next week.

In March 1979, nearly two years after the Bhutto government’s ouster by military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq, a seven-judge SC bench, in a split four-three verdict, upheld the LHC verdict awarding death sentence to ex-PM Bhutto.

At the conclusion of arguments by Justice Malik, complainant Ahmed Raza Qasuri came to the rostrum and wondered whether the court had crossed the bridge of maintainability as Justice Malik appeared to be more of a defence counsel than the friend of the court (amicus).

Justice Malik explained that he did not want to go into political repercussion of the murder trial of the former prime minister, but it was a question of history, arguing that the injustice committed to Mr Bhutto was still alive in the minds of the people of interior Sindh.

Dissecting the confession of former director general (DG) of the Federal Security Force (FSF) Masood Mehmood who later turned approver, the ex-judge explained that his confession was not confidence-inspiring since his claims seemed not plausible in every aspect of the matter. No prudent mind will ever fathom what the approver was claiming in his statement, he said.

During the hearing, CJP Isa asked Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan to find out from the government record how did and under what circumstances the approver left for the US where he died eventually — whether under some deal offered to him or witness protection programme or he just chose to move to America.

Justice Malik contended that the FSF director general’s statement was not natural and after reading the same, it emerged as if he was the man of integrity and his personality even was appreciated by then PM Bhutto that suggested that he had a clean slate.

And from his statement it appeared as if Mr Bhutto was a person who would never tolerate any dissent and even go to the extent of taking life of political opponents; besides the intention of raising the FSF was to kill the ex-PM’s political opponents and that Mr Bhutto was looking for a suitable person for the task, he added.

The CJP wondered whether it was possible that Masood Mehmood himself was the perpetrator since he might have animosity with the complainant and then he put it on the shoulders of Mr Bhutto.

Zahid F. Ebrahim, another amicus on behalf of Fatima Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto junior, contended that it was never too late to right a wrong, adding that “we will always be a prisoner to our crimes if we do not correct what we now know as plain miscarriage of justice”.

He said there was no doubt that an elected prime minister was overthrown in a military coup and a farcical judicial trial was orchestrated for no other reason but to murder Mr Bhutto and perpetuate a dictatorship.

Farooq H. Naek, appearing on behalf of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari emphasised that one right of appeal to the ex-PM was denied when the high court acted as the trial court and thus violated the requirement of due process.

Aitzaz Ahsan, another amicus, contended that the judgement in Bhutto case has suffered because of the environment where judges were made oppressive because of the martial law.

SOURCE: DAWN

 

[The Bald Eagle]

SC asked to rectify ‘miscarriage of justice’ in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case

Continuing his arguments as amicus curiae for a second day on Wednesday, retired Supreme Court judge Manzoor Malik described the presidential reference seeking an opinion on revisiting the death penalty awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as “historical question”, saying it’s for the top court to rectify the miscarriage of justice or simply brush it aside on technical grounds.

Justice Malik, an expert in criminal law, cited an application of the PPP founder before the Lahore High Court seized with the murder trial, uttering the historical words: “It was not a trial of murder but a murder of trial.”

Though the reference has been sent by the president under the court’s advisory jurisdiction, the Supreme Court has the authority to do complete justice by invoking Article 187 of the Constitution, contended Justice Malik.

A nine-judge SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, had recently taken up the reference filed in April 2011 on behalf of then president Asif Ali Zardari. The court hinted at concluding the proceedings on Monday next week.

In March 1979, nearly two years after the Bhutto government’s ouster by military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq, a seven-judge SC bench, in a split four-three verdict, upheld the LHC verdict awarding death sentence to ex-PM Bhutto.

At the conclusion of arguments by Justice Malik, complainant Ahmed Raza Qasuri came to the rostrum and wondered whether the court had crossed the bridge of maintainability as Justice Malik appeared to be more of a defence counsel than the friend of the court (amicus).

Justice Malik explained that he did not want to go into political repercussion of the murder trial of the former prime minister, but it was a question of history, arguing that the injustice committed to Mr Bhutto was still alive in the minds of the people of interior Sindh.

Dissecting the confession of former director general (DG) of the Federal Security Force (FSF) Masood Mehmood who later turned approver, the ex-judge explained that his confession was not confidence-inspiring since his claims seemed not plausible in every aspect of the matter. No prudent mind will ever fathom what the approver was claiming in his statement, he said.

During the hearing, CJP Isa asked Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan to find out from the government record how did and under what circumstances the approver left for the US where he died eventually — whether under some deal offered to him or witness protection programme or he just chose to move to America.

Justice Malik contended that the FSF director general’s statement was not natural and after reading the same, it emerged as if he was the man of integrity and his personality even was appreciated by then PM Bhutto that suggested that he had a clean slate.

And from his statement it appeared as if Mr Bhutto was a person who would never tolerate any dissent and even go to the extent of taking life of political opponents; besides the intention of raising the FSF was to kill the ex-PM’s political opponents and that Mr Bhutto was looking for a suitable person for the task, he added.

The CJP wondered whether it was possible that Masood Mehmood himself was the perpetrator since he might have animosity with the complainant and then he put it on the shoulders of Mr Bhutto.

Zahid F. Ebrahim, another amicus on behalf of Fatima Bhutto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto junior, contended that it was never too late to right a wrong, adding that “we will always be a prisoner to our crimes if we do not correct what we now know as plain miscarriage of justice”.

He said there was no doubt that an elected prime minister was overthrown in a military coup and a farcical judicial trial was orchestrated for no other reason but to murder Mr Bhutto and perpetuate a dictatorship.

Farooq H. Naek, appearing on behalf of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari emphasised that one right of appeal to the ex-PM was denied when the high court acted as the trial court and thus violated the requirement of due process.

Aitzaz Ahsan, another amicus, contended that the judgement in Bhutto case has suffered because of the environment where judges were made oppressive because of the martial law.

SOURCE: DAWN

It's an open and shut case but SC just dragging it to make it appear as a big achievement on their part.

 

[Major]

It's an open and shut case but SC just dragging it to make it appear as a big achievement on their part.

how is it an open shut case?

Cases are need to be solved because often past cases are used as a reference point to make similar judgements. If the case is not corrected, it can be used on another future case. This is why the correct verdict is being obtained for this case after so many years.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

how is it an open shut case?

Cases are need to be solved because often past cases are used as a reference point to make similar judgements. If the case is not corrected, it can be used on another future case. This is why the correct verdict is being obtained for this case after so many years.

Don't you believe in the confessions of Naseem Hasan Shah, do you still think Bhutto wasn't hanged at the behest of Zia?

 

[Major]

Don't you believe in the confessions of Naseem Hasan Shah, do you still think Bhutto wasn't hanged at the behest of Zia?

my comments were on the assumption that you were implying Bhutto was guilty for the murder.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Apex court to issue Bhutto case short order in two days

The Supreme Court closed on Monday the hearing of a presidential reference seeking to revisit the 1979 controversial death sentence awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

A nine-judge SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, said the court would announce a short order on the reference in a couple of days after consultation since one of the bench members (Justice Sardar Tariq Masood) is retiring soon.

The top court had taken up the reference filed in April 2011 on behalf of former president Asif Ali Zardari seeking an opinion under the Supreme Court’s advisory jurisdiction on revisiting the death sentence awarded to the PPP founder.

In March 1979, nearly two years after the Bhutto government’s ouster by military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq, a seven-judge SC bench, in a split four-three verdict, upheld the Lahore High Court’s verdict awarding death sentence to the former premier.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Aamir Rehman told the court that the government was trying its level best to find out from the record how former director general of the Federal Security Force Masood Mehmood, who later turned approver in the murder case, left Pakistan for the United States where he eventually died.

The AGP office was asked to furnish whether the approver left the country under some deal offered to him or witness protection programme or he just chose to move to America.

Ahmed Raza Qasuri, on whose complaint the murder case was registered against former PM Bhutto, pointed out that the court had not crossed the hurdle of admissibility of the reference and feared that any opinion by the apex court would open up the floodgates of references inundating the court with tsunami of cases like the Jan 13 denial of ‘bat’ symbol to the PTI.

“Such a development will definitely lower the dignity and respect of the Supreme Court,” he argued, adding that the present reference was neither a question of public importance or involved interpretation of a legal question, rather an intention for removing stigma — a jurisdiction the Supreme Court did not have to wash out the stigma of an individual.

Mr Qasuri, while reminding that he was the only living founding father who contributed to the making of the Constitution, cited an Indian court judgement to say that the past and closed transactions could not be reopened since the law believed in the finality of the case.

Therefore, he said, the alleged constitutional engineering by filing the present reference would reshape and modify the Constitution, thus amounting to rewriting the green book, which the top court could not do since it was not a law-making body.

The president is empowered to refer any question to the apex court for its opinion but subject to the condition that it should be a live and not a dead issue, Mr Qasuri said, adding that a criminal case in which the Supreme Court had given its final verdict in exercise of its jurisdiction under Articles 185 and 188 of the Constitution could not be reopened through an indirect method by invoking Article 186.

He contended that former president Zardari was an interested party and, therefore, it was not appropriate to seek an advice of the Supreme Court, particularly on a dead issue settled some 45 years ago in which Mr Bhutto was sentenced to death.

He said the sole objective of the reference was to remove stigma and conviction, which seriously affected the reputation of Mr Bhutto and, therefore, it was not the constitutional duty of the Supreme Court to remove the stigma by exercising its jurisdiction under Article 186.

AAG Rehman said the federal government would like to adopt the arguments of one of the amici curiae Yasser Kureshi who had highlighted how the violation of the procedural requirements in the trial was documented by many scholars as evidence of bias and partiality of the Supreme Court, to substantiate the claim that Mr Bhutto’s conviction was a miscarriage of justice.

SOURCE: DAWN

 

[hassan918]

Supreme Court to announce opinion on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference today​

ISLAMABAD: After much deliberation on a presidential reference filed in 2011, the Supreme Court is going to announce its opinion on the trial, sentence, and execution — by the apex court — of the late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on Wednesday (today).

On Monday, a 9-member bench of the top court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, reserved its opinion on the 2011 presidential reference seeking to revisit the sentence, and execution of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder and former premier Bhutto.

Bhutto had been hanged to death on April 4, 1979, following a verdict of the Supreme Court in a murder case that his party termed as “judicial murder.”

After the filing of a presidential reference, an 11-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, conducted five hearings in the presidential reference.

The hearing was resumed by the current chief justice on December 12 following a decision to fix an instant case under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, taken by a three-member committee comprising CJP Isa, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

In the previous hearing, the Bilawal-led party’s bigwig, Raza Rabbani — representing Sanam Bhutto, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, daughter and granddaughters of the late premier — contended that the trial of the PPP founder was not transparent, neither top and high courts were constitutional at that time, nor Bhutto was nominated in any first information reports (FIRs) of the murder case.

On the other hand, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Aamir Reman, while giving the government's position on the matter, said that the re-investigation of the murder charge on Bhutto was completely illegal and against the rules of the trial.

However, he submitted that there were violations and injustice. "It seems that there was government intervention at that time," the AAG submitted.

The court then court reserved its opinion on the presidential reference with CJP Isa saying that the court would announce a short opinion after consulting with the members of the bench.

Source: GEO

 

[BouncerGuy]

SC unanimously opines Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto didn’t get a fair trial

The Supreme Court of Pakistan Wednesday announced the verdict on the presidential reference about judicial murder of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

The apex court gave its opinion on five question asked in the presidential reference including:

1. Whether the murder trial was conducted in accordance with the fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution? The
2. Can the Supreme Court's execution decision be a judicial precedent?
3. Was Zulfiqar Bhutto's death sentence a fair decision and not biased?
4. Is Zulfiqar Bhutto's death sentence correct in the light of Quranic orders?
5. Was the evidence against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto sufficient to declare him convict?

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was present in the court when the opinion on the Presidential reference was announced.

Past proceedings

Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) Monday concluded the proceedings of the presidential reference against the judicial murder of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and reserved opinion on the reference.

“Not today, but some other day we may sit down to and deliver the verdict,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said.

A nine-member bench of SC conducted the hearing of presidential reference of judicial murder of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

The reference was broadcasted on the Supreme Court of Pakistan YouTube channel.

Ahmed Raza Kasuri has completed the arguments, the brief arguments of the Additional Attorney General have also been completed.

Additional Attorney General said that the investigation in the Bhutto case was closed by order of the magistrate.

Additional AG said: “Re-investigation conducted without taking any fresh judicial order. The entire trial was based on an investigation that was not legal. Apparently there was government intervention at that time.”

Justice Jamal Mandukhel inquired now what measures the government was taking to prevent such interference, on which, additional AG replied: “Of course, we have been advocates for the independence of the judiciary.”

Ahmed Raza Kasuri giving his argument said: “A person named Ifthikhar Ahmed aka Ifthikhar fitna,” to which CJ Isa replied and inquired, “If something happens to Mr Ifthikhar, then you will be responsible.”

The bench included Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali.

SAMAA

 

[Savak]

SC unanimously opines Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto didn’t get a fair trial

The Supreme Court of Pakistan Wednesday announced the verdict on the presidential reference about judicial murder of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

The apex court gave its opinion on five question asked in the presidential reference including:

1. Whether the murder trial was conducted in accordance with the fundamental human rights enshrined in the Constitution? The
2. Can the Supreme Court's execution decision be a judicial precedent?
3. Was Zulfiqar Bhutto's death sentence a fair decision and not biased?
4. Is Zulfiqar Bhutto's death sentence correct in the light of Quranic orders?
5. Was the evidence against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto sufficient to declare him convict?

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was present in the court when the opinion on the Presidential reference was announced.

Past proceedings

Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) Monday concluded the proceedings of the presidential reference against the judicial murder of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and reserved opinion on the reference.

“Not today, but some other day we may sit down to and deliver the verdict,” Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said.

A nine-member bench of SC conducted the hearing of presidential reference of judicial murder of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

The reference was broadcasted on the Supreme Court of Pakistan YouTube channel.

Ahmed Raza Kasuri has completed the arguments, the brief arguments of the Additional Attorney General have also been completed.

Additional Attorney General said that the investigation in the Bhutto case was closed by order of the magistrate.

Additional AG said: “Re-investigation conducted without taking any fresh judicial order. The entire trial was based on an investigation that was not legal. Apparently there was government intervention at that time.”

Justice Jamal Mandukhel inquired now what measures the government was taking to prevent such interference, on which, additional AG replied: “Of course, we have been advocates for the independence of the judiciary.”

Ahmed Raza Kasuri giving his argument said: “A person named Ifthikhar Ahmed aka Ifthikhar fitna,” to which CJ Isa replied and inquired, “If something happens to Mr Ifthikhar, then you will be responsible.”

The bench included Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali.

SAMAA

Utterly useless judgment. The man passed away 44 years ago and the entire country knew back then and since then that he didn't get a free trial.

The establishment is giving the PPP some ammunition for future election campaigns.

 

[BouncerGuy]

The establishment is giving the PPP some ammunition for future election campaigns.

making things easy for the next favorites? worst of the lot.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Pakistan's Bhutto, hanged 44 years ago, didn't get a fair trial, top court rules

Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was hanged 44 year ago after being convicted of murder, didn't get a fair trial.

Bhutto, the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) now run by his grandson and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was hanged in 1979 after a trial under the military regime of late General Zia-ul-Haq.

"We didn't find that the fair trial and due process requirements were met," said Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa in remarks telecast live of the ruling that he said was a unanimous decision by a nine-member bench headed by him.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the ruling. "It is a positive development that a wrong done by a court has been corrected by a court," he said in a statement from his office.

The ruling came in response to a judicial reference filed by Bhutto Zardari's father, Asif Ali Zardari, during his tenure as president in 2011. It sought an opinion by the top court on revisiting the death sentence awarded to the PPP founder.

"Our family waited 3 generations to hear these words," Bhutto Zardari said later in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The court will issue a detailed order later.
"It is an admission of colossal miscarriage of justice under Zia's martial law regime," said Yousuf Nazar, London-based political commentator and a close aide of the late Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's daughter and also a former prime minister. She was assassinated in 2007.

Rights groups say Haq's 11 years of dictatorship were marked by an assault on democracy, persecution and jailing of PPP workers and public flogging of opponents and critics.

Nazar said the regime also pushed the conservative Muslim nation into extremism and militancy by propping up and backing militant groups to fight a U.S. proxy war against the then Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

"It led to an unprecedented level of support for and patronage of religious extremists at the state level," he said.

Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistans-bhutto-hanged-44-years-ago-didnt-get-fair-trial-rules-top-court-2024-03-06/

 

[FearlessRoar]

The execution of Bhutto was not in favor of Pakistan, and it was not a morally and politically sound decision.

 

[FearlessRoar]

The execution of Bhutto was not in favor of Pakistan, and it was not a morally and politically sound decision.

The Sindh Assembly on Thursday passed a unanimous resolution, hailing the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan’s opinion on a presidential reference in the Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto case, ARY News reported.

As per details, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presented the resolution which was also supported by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

“This house embraces the historical opinion of the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Presidential reference filed 12 years ago by President Asit Ali Zardari to reopen the case of the death sentence of the 1st elected Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. As per the opinion of the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan 45 years ago, during the rule of a Military dictator, when Shaheed Zulfikar All Bhutto was sentenced to death, justice and a fair trial were not granted in accordance with the constitution,” the resolution read.

It also demanded that the verdict on the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case should be overturned

“This Assembly demands Sindh government to approach the federal government that Shaheed Zulifqar all Bhutto should be declared a National Democratic Hero. This House demands from the federal government to officially declare Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as Shaheed. Also, the Nishan-e-Zuffikar Ali Bhutto should be awarded to political workers and activists who have fought and sacrificed their lives for democracy,” the resolution added.

The Sindh Assembly that was specially summoned to adopt the resolution was prorogued after the passage of the resolution.

Sindh Assembly hails SC opinion in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case

KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Thursday passed a unanimous resolution, hailing the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan’s opinion on a presidential reference in

arynews.tv

 

[Cover Drive Six]

Is there any video/documentary that explains the complete details about Zulfiqar's execution, events leading up to his execution, and controversies surrounding his death?

 

[BouncerGuy]

On this day, 45 years ago, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a Pakistani statesman and politician who served as president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77) of Pakistan, a popular leader, was overthrown and executed by the military.

He was sentenced to death for the murder of a political opponent following a trial that was widely condemned as unfair.

 

[globetrotter]

After this day Pakistan lost its way

 

[Markhor]

Is there any video/documentary that explains the complete details about Zulfiqar's execution, events leading up to his execution, and controversies surrounding his death?

 

[Pakpak]

And his grandson is sitting in cahoots with the family who's godfather was the same dictator who hanged his grandfather.

 

[gani999]

Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has been hanged in spite of international calls for clemency.
Mr Bhutto, 51, who had been Pakistan's leader since 1973, was deposed in an army coup 18 months ago.



His death looks set to lead to Pakistan's isolation on the world stage.

The United Nations' Secretary-General, Kurt Waldheim, said he deplored the decision by Pakistan's leaders to ignore appeals for clemency.

British Prime Minister James Callaghan, who made a third appeal for Mr Bhutto's life only yesterday, expressed his "deep regret".


http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/4/newsid_2459000/2459507.stm

Ironic that the events which followed led to the exact opposite. Thanks to the Russians invading Afghanistan, and Zia offering logistical support to the US and NATO, Pakistan became the darling child of the West.

 

[BouncerGuy]

On this day, 45 years ago, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a Pakistani statesman and politician who served as president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77) of Pakistan, a popular leader, was overthrown and executed by the military.

He was sentenced to death for the murder of a political opponent following a trial that was widely condemned as unfair.

I messed up the dates. It was not April 2nd, 1979. It was April 4th, 1979.

 

[BouncerGuy]

‘Captive’ courts sentenced Bhutto to death: apex court

In a detailed opinion on the presidential reference in the murder trial of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Supreme Court on Monday said the trial and appellate courts that heard the cases were not true courts under the Constitution.

“The country was captive to martial law and so too were its courts,” Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa observed, adding: “When judges take oath of allegiance to dictators, the courts are no longer of the people.”

The 48-page detailed opinion authored by CJP Isa explained why on March 6, the Supreme Court after over 44 years of delay corrected a historic wrong by holding that the trial against the former premier by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and then appellate court’s final endorsement lacked due process.

The detailed judgment came on a presidential reference to answer whether the Supreme Court could revisit its 1979 judgement that sent former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to the gallows. In March 1979, nearly two years after the ouster of Bhutto’s government by military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq, a seven-judge SC bench in a four-three ruling upheld the LHC verdict of death sentence to ex-PM Bhutto.

Now in the detailed opinion, the CJP observed that admittedly, the trial against Mr Bhutto was conducted and the appeal was heard without the former premier having the constitutional protection of the fundamental rights and other rights guaranteed in the Constitution. These transgressions may have vitiated the trial and the conviction, however, cumulatively they destroyed any semblance of due process and fair trial, the opinion said.

Justice Isa observed that Gen Ziaul Haq’s unconstitutional act of imposing martial law was construed in the nature of a mandate from the people of Pakistan. It was not at all necessary, nor desirable, to state how popular he was by the appellate court since it was not for the Supreme Court to measure populism, nor what it entailed, the CJP explained.

The CJP also regretted that the trial court, which tried and convicted Mr Bhutto, and the appellate court, which rejected his appeal, were operating when there was no constitutional rule in the country and one man’s will and whim became legislation and his person had replaced the entire democratic order.

Unfortunately, the chief martial law administrator was also adulated in another case that he ‘stepped in to save the country,’ the CJP regretted, adding the expression of such incredulous admiration undermined the credibility of the appellate court.

“Was it not obvious that Gen Ziau lHaq would be the direct beneficiary of a guilty verdict. If Mr Bhutto was acquitted he may have proceeded to prosecute Gen Ziaul Haq for the crime of high treason. Gen Zia’s personal survival depended on Mr Bhutto being found guilty,” he said, adding the continuation of usurped power required Mr Bhutto to be convicted.

The detailed judgement regretted that bias was on display in a number of paragraphs of the trial court judgement.

“Gratis observations were made which had absolutely nothing to do with the case before the court, which was, whether Mr Bhutto had conspired to order the assassination of Ahmad Raza Kasuri — the complainant.

Moreover, extraneous paragraphs were written to dishonour and disgrace Mr Bhutto by five judges of the high court (trial court) who deemed it necessary to state that, before Mr Bhutto sought “election to the office of the Chief Executive of the Federation he would order his own life in accordance with the injunctions and teachings of Holy Quran and Sunnah”.

The priggish sanctimony, with respect, did not stop here, the opinion regretted, adding the moralising continued: ’Before undertaking to observe the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam he should inculcate these qualities in himself.“

The opinion said that Mr Bhutto was neither on trial for corruption nor for violating the Constitution, however, judges made gratuitous remarks about these matters too by stating: “he ’treated the Constitution and the law as a source of unlimited power for himself which may satisfy his own inane craving for self-aggrandizement and perpetuation of his rule.”

DAWN

 

[hassan918]

46th death anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto today​

The 46th death anniversary of former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan Peoples Party, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is being observed today (Friday)

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has organized functions at district headquarters level across the country.

The main ceremony will be held at the mausoleum of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at Gharhi Khuda Bux near Naudero in Larkana.

Quran Khawani and fateha khawani will also be held across country for departed soul of Shaheed Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The Sindh government has declared a public holiday today.

Bilawal Bhutto Pays Tribute to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid tribute to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, highlighting his contributions to Pakistan’s foreign policy, democracy, and national development.

In his message on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s death anniversary, Bilawal Bhutto stated that Bhutto’s dynamic foreign policy gave Pakistan a respected voice in the Muslim world and the international community.

He emphasized that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was Pakistan’s first directly elected Prime Minister, who united a divided nation, uplifted the people, and set Pakistan on the path of progress. He empowered the working class, securing their rights and ensuring their place in the country’s development.

Bilawal further said that Bhutto gifted Pakistan its consensus Constitution, which guaranteed democracy and fundamental rights. His efforts in developing nuclear technology strengthened Pakistan’s defense.

“He lives on in the hearts of the people,” Bilawal Bhutto concluded.

Source: SAMAA