Ex-PM Zulfikar's 'judicial murder black spot' on judicial system: Bilawal

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Monday termed the "judicial murder" of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a "black spot" on the justice system of the country as he said that now, the third generation of the Bhutto family is awaiting justice from the Supreme Court.

In a message ahead of the 44th martyrdom day anniversary of the ex-PM, set to be marked tomorrow (Tuesday), he said that the presidential reference regarding the judicial murder of the prime minister who gave the country a "unanimous Constitution" has been pending in the Supreme Court for the past 12 years.

“During these 4,382 days, our justice system did not have even a minute to listen to Bhutto shaheed's plea. How many more generations of the Bhutto family will have to wait to get justice?" he asked.

The PPP chief said that history has brought so much proof in favour of Bhutto's innocence that even his worst enemies now have to say that the "'Quaid-e-Awam' suffered the gravest injustice".

"I appeal to the Supreme Court that the presidential reference sent by President Asif Ali Zardari under Article 186 on April 2, 2011, should be fixed for early hearing."

Paying glowing tribute to Bhutto, the PPP chairman said that under his leadership, Pakistan crossed many milestones in political, diplomatic, economic, defence and social terms.

"Raising the political consciousness among the people, giving the country's first unanimous Constitution, making agricultural and economic reforms, starting the nuclear program, establishing Pakistan-China friendship and making Pakistan the diplomatic capital of the Islamic world are few examples of Bhutto Shaheed’s achievements," he pointed out.

He said that the occasion of Bhutto's martyrdom anniversary is a day of renewal of the pledge that PPP would continue upholding and would not give up at any cost the democracy, the Constitution of 1973, the parliamentary supremacy, rights of workers, farmers, minorities and women, as well as tolerance and equality in the society.

"Bhuttoism will continue to remain a beacon of light to guide us, and we will continue to struggle to provide 'roti, kapra aur makan' (bread, cloth, and home) to every Pakistani by establishing a strong democratic system based on justice and fairness," he pledged.