Monument to Benazir: Plea against use of state funds dismissed

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court, on Wednesday, dismissed a petition challenging the construction of Benazir Bhutto’s monument at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, using state funds. Chief Justice (CJ) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, heading the division bench, observed that the court had no say in who is a national hero or where the money for a monument should come from.

The CJ proceeded to dismiss the petition.

The court said, “We cannot give dictates to the government on such matters.”

Lawyer Feroz Shah Gillani had filed the petition against the construction of the monument alleging that it would cost the national exchequer Rs1 billion.

He said that Bhutto was the leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the party should pay from its won funds to build the monument.

He said the tax payers’ money should not be spent on memorials.

He also requested the court to remove the name of politicians from government buildings like the Islanabad International Airport, hospitals, government and semi-government departments and institutions.

Gillani said Bhutto was never recognized as an undisputed leader of the country not attained the status of national hero.

Bhutto, he said, never followed ethical and democratic principles.

He said Bhutto’s two governments had been dismissed on charges of corruption and incompetence.

He said the head of such governments could not be a national hero.

Deputy Attorney General Naveed Inayat Malik submitted a report which said Bhutto embraced martyrdom while struggling for democracy and hence the monument was being built from federal funds. He said Bhutto was a leader of international repute and a national hero.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th,  2011.