The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the plea to register a fresh case on Benazir Bhutto’s murder.
A six-member bench, headed by Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, heard the petition filed by Chaudhry Aslam, who earlier served as a protocol officer for the assassinated former prime minister.
Aslam had nominated former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, former law minister Babar Awan, former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Interior Minister Rehman Malik amongst others as respondents in the FIR.
However, Deputy Attorney General Shafi Muhammad Chandio told the court that Benazir’s heirs and the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party which she earlier led was not interested in the registration of a fresh FIR. The bench also maintained that such a petition could only be filed by the heirs of the deceased.
Chandio maintained the applicant had no locus standi in the matter and that he had approached the court 19 months after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. The court agreed with Chandio and asked the applicant why he had remained silent for so long.
The deputy attorney general added the applicant might record his statement in a trial court as the matter was sub judice in an anti-terrorism court. Consequently, Aslam withdrew his petition and the case was disposed of.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2012.
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