The PPP has already submitted its written comments to the high court along with some additional documents.
- CJP Qazi Faez Isa will head the nine-member high court.
- Earlier, Justice Mansoor raised doubts on the reference.
- The judicial proceedings of the reference were broadcast live.
A larger nine-member bench of the Supreme Court will on Monday (tomorrow) hear a presidential reference regarding the sentencing of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the country’s first elected chief executive and founder of the nuclear programme.
The largest bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Amin- ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel and Justice Muhammad. Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Musarrat Hilali would resume hearing of the presidential reference seeking to review the “controversial” 1979 death sentence awarded to the PPP founder.
Bhutto was hanged on April 4, 1979 in Rawalpindi district jail in a murder case. Her party, however, called the death penalty imposed on Bhutto a “judicial murder.”
On 2 April 2011, former President Asif Ali Zardari approached the apex court through a presidential reference under Article 186 of the Constitution to seek its opinion on the review of the trial of the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). ).
It is pertinent to mention here that Bhutto served as the foreign minister of the country from 1963 to 1966. He was also the president of the country from 1971 to 1973 (a period of almost 20 months) and prime minister from 1973 to 1977.
The PPP already submitted its written comments to the high court last day along with some additional documents, including transcripts and video recordings of several interviews.
During the previous hearing on December 12, 2023, Justice Mansoor raised questions about the presidential reference.
The Supreme Court judge sought help in resolving the questions of law, noting that the court had already dismissed the appeal against his ruling, which had also become final.
“The Supreme Court cannot hear another appeal on the matter. How can we hear again the matter that had been closed?
The judicial proceedings of the referent were broadcast live through the official website and YouTube channel of the Supreme Court.
— Additional APP entry.
