Benazir Bhutto’s succession: Court official appointed over movable properties

Petitioner Zardari says former PM owned NIT units worth Rs2,679,000 and none of her heirs have been named

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday appointed a court official for the inspection of movable and immovable properties of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at the Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on December 27, 2007. Her widower, former president Asif Ali Zardari, had moved a succession application with the SHC at Karachi in 2008.



In the latest application filed recently, it is stated that the petitioner has come to know that the late Bhutto owned units in the National Investment Trust (NIT) worth Rs2,679,000, saving certificates and banker equities.

The petitioner stated that the late Bhutto left behind four legal heirs -- Asif Ali Zardari (husband); Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (son); Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari (daughter) and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari (daughter).

“That Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto died intestate and that due and diligent search was made for a will, but none was found,” Farooq H Naek, the lawyer for the petitioner, informed the court. “None of the Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s legal heirs have been named in respect of these movable properties/certificates or shares,” he added.

He argued that there was no impediment under the provisions of the Succession Act to the extension of the succession certificate already granted by the SHC on July 8, 2008 to the petitioner.



He said the personal affidavits of other legal heirs, having no objection to issuance of succession certificate in respect of the petitioner Asif Zardari, had been filed with the court. Therefore, he pleaded, the court may extend the succession certificate granted in favour of the petitioner.

After hearing arguments, the bench appointed its Nazir as commissioner to carry out inspection of the movable properties, as mentioned by the petitioner, to verify the factual position and report back to the court by December 19.