PPP founder be declared ‘National Democratic Hero’

Sindh PA passes resolution, former PM was executed due to unfair trial

KARACHI:

After the Supreme Court admitted that PPP founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's trial, which led to his execution, was unfair, the Sindh Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution demanding the federal government to declare him a national democratic hero.

The resolution that was passed unanimously was moved by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah calling upon the federal government to officially declare PPP founder as 'Shaheed'.

The resolution that was supported by all other parliamentary parties in the provincial assembly including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Jamaat e Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) backed MPAs also suggested that political workers and activists who have fought and sacrificed their lives for democracy should be given 'Nishan e Zulfikar Ali Bhutto' awards.

As the session started with speaker Awais Qadir Shah in chair, the CM stood up and referred to a decision announced by a nine-member large bench of the supreme court led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and said, "I want to move a resolution on this issue."

The resolution moved by the chief minister applauded the apex court's decision calling it a historic opinion announced in the wake of a presidential reference filed by former president Asif Ali Zardari 12 years ago to re-open the case of death sentence awarded to ZA Bhutto.

"As per opinion of the honorable supreme court of Pakistan, 45 years ago, during the rule of a military dictator, when Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sentenced to death, justice and a fair trial was not granted in accordance with the constitution," the resolution said adding that the supreme court has acknowledged by its remarkable decision that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's execution was a judicial murder.

"This ruling highlights the importance of upholding the principles of justice and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their status, are entitled to a fair trial in accordance with the constitution. It serves as a reminder of the need to address past injustice and uphold the rule of the law in the pursuit of justice and accountability," the resolution said.

It further added that the verdict on the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto case should be overturned. The resolution also appreciated the struggle of Begum Nusrat Bhutto, wife of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Benazir Bhutto who sacrificed their lives to seek justice against the cold-blooded judicial murder of Shaheed Bhutto.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2024.