2024-03-06 17:36:51
Islamabad: After 44 years, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has finally accepted that former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was not given a fair trial during the death sentence. The Supreme Court admitted during its hearing on Wednesday that in the year 1979, the bench of seven judges had not even followed the correct procedure during its hearing. Earlier in the year 1977, military dictator Zia ul Haq had taken over Pakistan by removing Bhutto’s government and under his rule, former Prime Minister Bhutto was given death sentence. It is believed that under the pressure of dictator Zia ul Haq, the Pakistani Supreme Court had sentenced Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to death.
This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that a former Prime Minister was given death sentence. The observation by the Supreme Court of Pakistan came during the hearing of a petition filed by former President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking review of Bhutto’s death sentence. The Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Isa, unanimously observed that the conditions for a fair trial were not met in Bhutto’s case. The court highlighted that the trial proceedings by the Lahore High Court and subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court fell short of the fundamental right to a fair trial and due process enshrined in Articles 4 and 9 of the Constitution.
Bilawal Bhutto welcomed the decision
When Bhutto was removed, he was one of the most popular leaders in his country. He was removed by General Zia on charges of murder of his political opponent Ahmed Raza Kasuri and himself seized power. That too when Bhutto had appointed General Zia as the chief of the Pakistan Army. Many legal experts had raised questions on the legal process of hanging Bhutto. Pakistan’s top court acknowledged that few cases in Pakistan’s judicial history have created a public perception of fear or favoritism affecting the administration of justice. The Supreme Court said that Bhutto’s death sentence could no longer be overturned due to constitutional and legal limitations.
The Pakistani Supreme Court said that therefore this decision will remain in force in future also. Whereas Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s grandson and current president of Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari welcomed this decision. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court’s decision will allow Pakistan to progress and get the ‘system’ on the right track. The Supreme Court’s opinion is the result of a presidential reference filed by former President Zardari in 2011 seeking opinion on reconsidering Bhutto’s death sentence. This decision is being termed as a personal victory for Bilawal Bhutto’s family.