In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has unanimously declared that the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party, was denied the opportunity for a fair trial in his infamous murder case. The nine-member bench affirmed that Bhutto's trial lacked the essential elements of fairness, describing it as a violation of both law and the constitution.
The verdict, announced by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, followed the culmination of a presidential reference against the controversial judicial proceedings that led to Bhutto's execution under the regime of military dictator Gen Zia ul Haq. The court emphasized that the proceedings, both at the Lahore High Court and in subsequent appeals, failed to meet the standards of fundamental rights to a fair trial and due process enshrined in the constitution.
While the court refrained from giving a definitive opinion on certain aspects of the case, including the binding nature of the Supreme Court's decision under the constitution and the Islamic aspects of the matter, it issued notices to all relevant parties for the announcement of the verdict.
The ruling elicited emotional reactions from members of the Pakistan Peoples Party, including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who expressed relief that the injustice against his grandfather had finally been acknowledged after more than four decades. The pursuit of justice, he stated, had been a long and arduous journey, emphasizing the efforts of his father, former President Asif Ali Zardari, in seeking redress for Bhutto's wrongful conviction.
The case, which began on December 12 last year, stemmed from a presidential reference filed by Asif Ali Zardari in 2011, seeking a reassessment of Bhutto's trial, sentencing, and subsequent execution. Bhutto, the first democratically-elected prime minister of Pakistan, was removed from power in a military coup in 1977 and subsequently convicted of murder following a highly controversial trial.
The Supreme Court's ruling marks a significant step towards addressing past injustices and upholding the principles of justice and accountability in Pakistan's legal system.
