Islamabad, The Supreme Court of Pakistan has concluded that the trial of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for murder did not meet the standards for a fair trial and due process as required by the Constitution. This significant statement came from a nine-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Issa, concerning a Presidential reference seeking to revisit Bhutto’s controversial conviction.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the apex court scrutinized the proceedings of the Lahore High Court and the Supreme Court’s appeal process, finding them inconsistent with the Fundamental Right to a fair trial and due process outlined in Articles 4, 9, and the independently guaranteed Article 10A of the Constitution. Despite identifying these breaches, the court noted that current constitutional and legal frameworks do not offer a method to annul the judgment that led to Bhutto’s conviction and execution.
The court expressed its inability to reevaluate the evidence or overturn the historic verdict but committed to outlining the primary constitutional and legal errors related to the fair trial and due process in its detailed reasoning. This acknowledgment addresses long-standing concerns regarding the fairness of Bhutto’s trial and its alignment with legal standards.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responded to the Supreme Court’s opinion by congratulating the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former President Asif Ali Zardari, and the party’s leadership and workers. He viewed this acknowledgment of judicial oversight as setting a new precedent and contributing to a truthful understanding of history at the national level.
Sharif’s message emphasized that while it is impossible to reverse past mistakes, acknowledging them paves the way for national unity and development. He hailed the Supreme Court’s unanimous opinion on the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reference as a positive step towards reconciling historical grievances and enhancing national cohesion by addressing and rectifying past errors.