Today marks a historic day as the Supreme Court of Pakistan resumes the live hearing of the 12-year-old presidential reference seeking to revisit the controversial death sentence awarded to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. This reference, filed by former president Asif Ali Zardari in 2011, has been a long-standing issue and is now being broadcast live on the official website and YouTube channel of the Supreme Court.
A nine-member larger apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and comprising of other esteemed justices, including Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, is hearing the case. This decision was made under Section 2(1) of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, by a three-member committee. Additionally, a two-judge panel, comprised of Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was formed to decide on the live telecast of the reference.
The PPP leaders, including Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Asif Zardari, and Sherry Rehman, have also arrived at the top court to attend the hearing. Rehman, speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, expressed her gratitude for CJP Qazi Faez Isa for fixing the case for hearing and said that it is a better late than never situation. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also moved a civil miscellaneous application to allow the live telecast of the hearing so that the whole nation can hear it. He also hopes for justice to be served and for the truth behind his grandfather’s murder to be revealed.
The last hearing of this case was held on November 11, 2022, by an 11-member larger bench headed by former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. This reference has been a controversial issue, and the PPP leaders hope that justice will finally be served and the truth behind their leader’s murder will be revealed.
Stay tuned for updates on this historic case as the Supreme Court continues the live hearing.