Delayed decision: PPP to become a party in BB murder case
Party submits application seeking to become a complainant.
The court asked advocate Hussain Raza Rind, who submitted power of attorney on behalf of Sardar Latif Khosa, to get the approval of Benazir Bhutto’s real heirs President Asif Ali Zardari and his children. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
RAWALPINDI/LAHORE:
After the hiatus of six long years Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has decided to become a party in the Benazir Bhutto murder case, pending with Anti Terrorism Court (ATC).
PPP Secretary General Sardar Latif Khosa on Thursday submitted an application before the ATC Judge Habibur Rehman seeking to become a complainant in the case.
However, the court observed that Benazir Bhutto’s real heirs were President Asif Ali Zardari and his children and asked advocate Hussain Raza Rind, who submitted power of attorney on behalf of Sardar Latif Khosa, to get the approval of heirs.
Rind requested the court to accept the application, arguing that Khosa was the PPP secretary general and the party had decided to join the trial. However the court adjourned the matter till September 3, when it will decide whether to maintain the application or not. The ATC took up the matter on February 29, 2008 when the police submitted the first interim challan two months after the killing of Benazir in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007.
Since 2008, five judges have been changed in the ATC and till now over 24 out of the total 52 witnesses have got their statements recorded.
On the return of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to the country, the court started trial de novo of the case on April this year. Musharraf is also accused in this case and was indicted on August 19, 2013 over the murder of the former premier.
Khosa is the new lawyer in this case who will pursue this case to its ‘logical conclusion’ and ensure that the culprits responsible for the heinous crimes are punished for their criminal misdeeds, said a press statement issued by the PPP.
“Resolved that the Secretary General of PPP, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa is authorised to take all necessary steps as intervener in the Proceedings, file requisite Power of Attorney, engage/associate any other Lawyer and to pursue the Case to its logical conclusion and ensure that the culprits responsible for the heinous crimes are punished for their criminal misdeeds of the gravest magnitude,” the statement reads.
“This step is taken after noting with extreme anguish, deep concern, shock and horror that after over six years of her brutal murder the trial of the case continues unabated,” said Sardar Latif Khosa talking to The Express Tribune.
“The non-existence of security exposing the former Prime Minister and making her a lame duck when a sniper shooter could fire from point blank range, the immediate hosing of the crime scene, the non conduct of post-mortem, followed by official release of a tape and conclusive statement of a state official that it was terrorist attack and the registration of FIR by police official as well as subsequent investigations, speaks volume about a planned masterminded murder,” the statement said.
“It is thus imperative that PPP takes ownership and ensure the due punishment to the culprits is meted out, so that the rule of law prevails, and the motherland is not deprived of such leaders, who are born in centuries and who change the destinies of nations and countries,” the statement further said.
Reopening of ZA Bhutto trial case
The PPP has also decided to seek the reopening of the trial of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The party will file an application in this regard before the Supreme Court within a couple of days.
Earlier a presidential reference had been filed at the Supreme Court for reopening ZA Bhutto case. The PPP has taken this stance as the presidential term of Asif Ali Zardari is coming to an end and the next president can withdraw that reference from the court.
“In this regard we have prepared an application, which will be filed before the Supreme Court in a couple of days,” said the PPP leader Sardar Khurram Latif Khan Khosa talking to The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2013.
After the hiatus of six long years Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has decided to become a party in the Benazir Bhutto murder case, pending with Anti Terrorism Court (ATC).
PPP Secretary General Sardar Latif Khosa on Thursday submitted an application before the ATC Judge Habibur Rehman seeking to become a complainant in the case.
However, the court observed that Benazir Bhutto’s real heirs were President Asif Ali Zardari and his children and asked advocate Hussain Raza Rind, who submitted power of attorney on behalf of Sardar Latif Khosa, to get the approval of heirs.
Rind requested the court to accept the application, arguing that Khosa was the PPP secretary general and the party had decided to join the trial. However the court adjourned the matter till September 3, when it will decide whether to maintain the application or not. The ATC took up the matter on February 29, 2008 when the police submitted the first interim challan two months after the killing of Benazir in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on December 27, 2007.
Since 2008, five judges have been changed in the ATC and till now over 24 out of the total 52 witnesses have got their statements recorded.
On the return of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to the country, the court started trial de novo of the case on April this year. Musharraf is also accused in this case and was indicted on August 19, 2013 over the murder of the former premier.
Khosa is the new lawyer in this case who will pursue this case to its ‘logical conclusion’ and ensure that the culprits responsible for the heinous crimes are punished for their criminal misdeeds, said a press statement issued by the PPP.
“Resolved that the Secretary General of PPP, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa is authorised to take all necessary steps as intervener in the Proceedings, file requisite Power of Attorney, engage/associate any other Lawyer and to pursue the Case to its logical conclusion and ensure that the culprits responsible for the heinous crimes are punished for their criminal misdeeds of the gravest magnitude,” the statement reads.
“This step is taken after noting with extreme anguish, deep concern, shock and horror that after over six years of her brutal murder the trial of the case continues unabated,” said Sardar Latif Khosa talking to The Express Tribune.
“The non-existence of security exposing the former Prime Minister and making her a lame duck when a sniper shooter could fire from point blank range, the immediate hosing of the crime scene, the non conduct of post-mortem, followed by official release of a tape and conclusive statement of a state official that it was terrorist attack and the registration of FIR by police official as well as subsequent investigations, speaks volume about a planned masterminded murder,” the statement said.
“It is thus imperative that PPP takes ownership and ensure the due punishment to the culprits is meted out, so that the rule of law prevails, and the motherland is not deprived of such leaders, who are born in centuries and who change the destinies of nations and countries,” the statement further said.
Reopening of ZA Bhutto trial case
The PPP has also decided to seek the reopening of the trial of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The party will file an application in this regard before the Supreme Court within a couple of days.
Earlier a presidential reference had been filed at the Supreme Court for reopening ZA Bhutto case. The PPP has taken this stance as the presidential term of Asif Ali Zardari is coming to an end and the next president can withdraw that reference from the court.
“In this regard we have prepared an application, which will be filed before the Supreme Court in a couple of days,” said the PPP leader Sardar Khurram Latif Khan Khosa talking to The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2013.