In a significant development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has scheduled a hearing for the presidential reference challenging the verdict on the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former Prime Minister. Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, will lead a 9-member larger bench on December 12 to deliberate on the presidential reference.
The reference revolves around the allegations of conspiracy to murder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a charismatic political figure in Pakistan’s history. The larger bench, comprising Justices Sardar Tariq Masood, Mansoor Ali Shah, Yahya Afridi, and Aminuddin Khan, among others, will weigh the legal aspects and historical context of Bhutto’s controversial hanging.
It’s worth noting that the decision to hold this hearing comes just a day after the Supreme Court ruled to consider the presidential reference seeking a judicial determination on whether Bhutto’s execution was a judicial killing or not.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a towering political figure, was executed more than four decades ago, in 1979, during the military rule of General Zia-ul-Haq. The circumstances surrounding his death have remained a subject of intense debate and controversy.
The larger bench, consisting of prominent justices such as Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Hasan Ali Rizvi, and Masroor Hilali, will play a crucial role in evaluating the evidence presented and the legal arguments put forth during the hearing. The decision rendered by this bench will carry significant implications, potentially addressing the long-standing questions surrounding Bhutto’s hanging and its implications on the country’s political and judicial history.
The PPP, under the leadership of Bhutto’s daughter, Benazir Bhutto, and subsequently Asif Ali Zardari, had initiated the presidential reference in 2011, during their term in power. The reference seeks a reexamination of the circumstances leading to Bhutto’s execution, challenging the notion that it was a fair and justifiable legal decision.
As the Supreme Court prepares for this pivotal hearing, it raises expectations for a thorough and impartial examination of one of the most contentious episodes in Pakistan’s political history. The outcome of this reference could potentially reshape perceptions and interpretations surrounding Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s demise and its consequences on the country’s political landscape.
