Bilawal demands justice for ZAB’s execution

In a passionate plea, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called upon the Supreme Court to rectify a historical injustice by holding accountable those involved in the execution of former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB).

Speaking at a party convention in Gujranwala, Bilawal emphasized that the judiciary now has a crucial opportunity to restore its reputation by ensuring justice prevails in the Bhutto case.

“By electing Benazir Bhutto, people of Pakistan had given their verdict that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was innocent,” he said.
PPP’s founding chairman and Pakistan’s former premier ZAB was hanged in 1979 after his government was toppled by then military dictator Gen Zia.

Controversy still surrounds ZAB’s hanging, which is to-date considered a judicial murder as some judges of the bench at the time later admitted that they had been pressured by the powers that be to execute the former prime minister.

The Bhutto scion asserted that the court should now admit that the judiciary committed a “crime” by hanging Bhutto.
“Supreme Court has an opportunity to set the judicial and legal record straight and rectify history by pronouncing judgment against the elements involved in Bhutto’s execution so that people are assured that they can get justice from the court,” he said.

The PPP chairman expressed the hope that party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s reference and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa’s “bravery” would help ZAB and nation get justice. “Then together we will fulfil Bhutto’s mission of roti, kapra aur makan (food, clothing and shelter).

Bilawal opined that the solution to economic woes faced by the country also lied in ZAB’s manifeso.
“Politicians will come to you and seek vote by abusing their rival. This is not our style of politics and the quality of PPP is that we have no opponent,” he said.