KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on Thursday that praised the Supreme Court’s ruling on the presidential reference pertaining to the death sentence of former prime minister and Pakistan Peoples Party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The resolution also demanded that the federal government formally designate the nation’s first elected prime minister as a “National Democratic Hero” and “Shaheed.”
PPP’s Nisar Ahmed Khuhro began the debate on the resolution, which Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had introduced, by stating that the Supreme Court had regained its credibility by ruling on the reference that former President Asif Ali Zardari had submitted twelve years prior, asking for the reopening of the Bhutto case.
He then on, “The SC has finally acknowledged that it was wrong and that Bhutto was not given a fair trial.”
The resolution stated: “According to the decision of the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan, justice and a fair trial were not granted in line with the constitution 45 years ago, under the administration of a military dictatorship, when Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sentenced to death. By its astounding ruling, the Supreme Court has recognized that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a victim of judicial murder during his death and that the law did not grant him a fair trial.
adopts a resolution in unanimity designating him as a “martyr” and “National Democratic Hero.”
It insisted that the decision in Bhutto’s case be reversed.
Additionally, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Bhutto received heartfelt praise in the resolution.
Additionally, it recognized the PPP chairman’s efforts to pursue the presidential reference in the SC.
This House requests that the Federal Government formally recognize Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as a “Shaheed,” and this Assembly proposes that the Sindh government approach the federal government about declaring Bhutto a “National Democratic Hero.” The decision stated that political workers and activists who have struggled and lost their life for democracy should also receive the Nishan-e-Zulfikar Ali Bhutto award.
Speaking about the resolution, the prime minister claimed that Bhutto’s heroic sacrifice had immortalized him and that the SC’s ruling had demonstrated his innocence. He said that the nation’s highest court had been used by a brutal dictator to assassinate the former prime minister.
He claimed that when the great leader was killed, every eye was filled with tears and the nation as a whole was grieving. He said, “After Bhutto’s execution, many people even set themselves on fire,” and mentioned that Bhutto was still alive.
The chief minister called for a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in Bhutto’s case. He emphasized that “a constitutional amendment is necessary to end this cruelty.”
Abdul Waseem of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan fully endorsed the motion, stating that those who had not treated Bhutto’s issue fairly needed to be symbolically punished with an example.
Muhammad Farooq, a member of Jamaat-i-Islami, called Bhutto’s passing a national tragedy and emphasized the necessity for legislation to end these kinds of rulings.
Other speakers on the resolution included Imdad Pitafi, Jameel Soomro, Farooq Awan, Saeed Ghani of the PPP, and Shabbir Qureshi of the Sunni Ittehad Council.
