Daily Times

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a detailed opinion on the presidential reference regarding the execution of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, acknowledging that an innocent person was hanged without a transparent trial. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa penned the 48-page opinion, with additional notes provided by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah. The opinion highlights that Bhutto’s trial occurred under martial law, compromising the constitutional integrity of the courts at the time. The opinion emphasises that during Bhutto’s trial, the country was under martial law, and the judiciary lacked constitutional legitimacy. “The country and the courts were prisoners of martial law at that time,” stated the opinion, noting that the courts were operated by judges who had pledged loyalty to the dictator, not to the people.