The military should apologize for Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s judicial murder – by Shiraz Paracha
Related posts: LUBP archive on Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
Parrot writers and journalists in Pakistan always praise the position of a serving Army Chief. Those who have sold their souls tell us how great the military’s top brass is. It does not matter if it includes generals, who surrendered in Dhaka, and those who ran away from Kargil, or those who killed an elected Prime Minister and tore apart the constitution. Even military leaders accused of corruption, incompetence and misconduct are portrayed as heroes.
It is not surprising that we are told that the current Army Chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, is the only capable saviour of Pakistan. Analysts, anchorpersons and columnists, who pretend to be mouthpieces of the military, inform us that General Kayani is different than his predecessors.
Not very long ago, General Kayani was the right-hand man of General Parvez Musharraff. After Kayani became the Commander-in-Chief, General Musharraff received a guard of honour at the end of his illegal stay in the President House. The military is a state within the state in Pakistan. The sword of a military intervention still hangs over the civilian government as the power equilibrium continues to be in the military’s favour even under General Kayani.
Nonetheless, so far, General Kayani has acted wisely and he appears softer than the previous heads of the Pakistani military. The Armed Forces are supposed to defend a country but the Pakistan military has embarrassed Pakistan many times. The Armed Forces are a symbol of pride for the people of a country; in Pakistan the military has caused national discomfiture. Some Pakistani generals wanted to make history—they left with dark history.
General Kayani, however, could be an exception. May be he can heal the wounds, which the country has suffered at the hands of its Armed Forces. Perhaps he can assist in bringing an end to a crisis that started in the early morning of April 4, 1979 when generals of the Pakistani Army had committed a horrendous crime.
It will be a great service to Pakistan if the military, under General Kayani’s command, parts ways with the past and throws away the colonial legacy of righteousness and supremacy. Like other institutions in Pakistan, the military, too, needs critical self-review. Instead of applying media management techniques to boost its image, the military ought to start a new chapter by publicly admitting that the generals, dead or retired, who have hurt the military and Pakistan will be tried in military courts for treason. New officers should be told that the military had rotten eggs in its basket and that such characters will not be tolerated in the military’s ranks again.
General Kayani along with his top commanders should visit Ghari Khada Buksh, Larkana and offer a sincere apology, on the behalf of the military, for killing the founder of a new Pakistan. This would be a big step towards true reconciliation.
The Armed Forces should present a guard of honour to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for saving the defeated and broken Pakistan. They should salute Bhutto for rescuing 90,000 soldiers who had surrendered to the Indian Army in Bangladesh. Monuments of Bhutto should be erected in all cantonments because Bhutto built a new defence shield for Pakistan.
Z.A Bhutto restored Pakistan’s integrity and never compromised on national interest. He earned respect because he could talk to anyone eyeball to eyeball. Bhutto always held his chin high. His role and deeds for Pakistan should be included in history textbooks, especially in those taught at the military schools so that soldiers are aware of their true national hero.
Unless the Pakistan Armed Forces recognize and admit that the Bhutto’s murder was the military’s biggest blunder, and ask for forgiveness, Pakistan will not be at ease with herself. It will remain a disturbed and divided country.
At the same time, the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Lahore High Court must reverse the decision of Bhutto’s judicial murder and seek an apology from the people of Pakistan. The Supreme Court is guilty of gross injustice. The Bhutto case is a stain on the institution of judiciary. Bhutto’s blood will stay fresh in the courtrooms until justice is done and Bhutto’s dignity is returned to him by the Court. The integrity and respect of the Supreme Court of Pakistan will never be restored without declaring Bhutto innocent and calling him Pakistan’s national hero.
Also the Supreme Court should formally admit that judges who were instrumental in providing legal cover to martial laws and dictators were actually traitors. The Court should give a similar verdict about generals who imposed military coups and derailed Pakistan.
Bhutto prevails in Pakistan even 32 years after his physical death. His glory is untainted and love for Bhutto has not been diminished from the hearts of the masses.
Anti-Bhutto camp often moans why Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is still alive politically and why his influence and legacy is so strong in Pakistan? Bhutto divides Pakistan because his killers have not asked, sincerely, for forgiveness nor have they forgiven Bhutto for saving and serving Pakistan.
Shiraz Paracha is a journalist and analyst. His email address is shiraz_paracha@hotmail.com
Further readings:
Pakistan: Bhutto’s (Judicial) Murder -by Inam R Sehri
A tribute to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto – by Ali Nawaz Chowhan
Videos:
General Zia ul Haq’s interview 1977
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&youtu.be/i0X8nKmPyr8
Qatal Ki Raat Zulfiqar Bhutto – Documentary (PPP)
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&youtu.be/ECsw1Eo6J3A
Zulfiqar Bhutto Execution Special – Kamran Shahid
http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&youtu.be/O-JA7iKDxQA
Bravo!!! Its truly voice of our hearts…. Congrats to the writer for this master piece.
As this page publishes its articles to our FB page and if we see it, v click and read it. Once we come to LUBP, we take a look at other articles too, and sometime like to share it too. But due to the non existance of “Share” tab, it seems quite difficult to share any article. I would request Admins of LUBP to add a “Share” tab which will enable us to share whatever article v like.
Thanks & Regards
Teen Jeem (Jurnails, Judges, Journalists) played a shameful role in physical and character assassination of ZA Bhutto. All the three institutions must offer an apology to the nation and the PPP for killings its most cherished leader.
Why will the military seek forgiveness? It is us who have to remain subservient to the blood sucking military
I am sure Bhutto is still alive and kicking around.
کیا یہ ممکن ہے ؟
وسعت اللہ خان
بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام
اب سے بتیس برس پہلے پاکستان کے پہلے منتخب وزیرِ اعظم کو ان حالات میں پھانسی دی گئی کہ مقدمے کی فائنل سماعت کرنے والے سپریم کورٹ کے لارجر بنچ کا ایک جج بیمار ہو کر سبکدوش ہوگیا۔ایک جج جس پر میٹرک کی جعلی سند رکھنے کا الزام لگایا گیا ، اپنی عافیت کے لئے ملک سے فرار ہوگیا۔
جو سات جج سپریم کورٹ کے لارجر بنچ کا حصہ بنے رہے ۔ان میں سے تین نے بڑے ملزم کو شک کا فائدہ دے کر بری کردیا اور چار نے سزائے موت کی توثیق کردی۔عام طور سے سزائے موت کی توثیق کے بعد بھی رحم کی اپیل برسوں صدرِ مملکت کی میز پر پڑی رہتی ہے، لیکن اس کیس میں نہ بیرونی دوست حکومتوں کی اپیل پر غور کیا گیا اور نہ ہی اندرونِ ملک سے دائر اپیلوں پر کان دھرا گیا اور حتمی فیصلہ آنے کے تین ہفتے کے اندر بڑے ملزم کو پھانسی پر لٹکا دیا گیا۔
چند برس بعد جب پھانسی کی سزا کی توثیق کرنے والے بنچ کے چیف جسٹس نسیم حسن شاہ نے ضمیر کے بوجھ کو ہلکا کرنے کے لیے اعتراف کیا کہ یہ فیصلہ دباؤ کے تحت کیا گیا تھا تو اس کے بعد سپریم کورٹ کو ازخود نوٹس لے کر یہ مقدمہ دوبارہ کھولنا چاہئے تھا تاکہ اسقاطِ انصاف کا دھبہ دھل سکے۔ لیکن عدالت تو کجا، خود بڑے ملزم کی جماعت کو بھی مقدمے کی ریویو پیٹیشن دائر کرنے کا بتیس برس بعد حوصلہ ہوا۔
تو کیا پاکستان میں انگلستان اور فرانس کی طرح اعلیٰ عدلیہ کے کسی سابق فیصلے پر نظرِ ثانی کا کوئی قانون موجود ہے؟ قانون دان کہتے ہیں کہ اس کے لئے قانون سازی کرنی پڑے گی ورنہ تکنیکی بنیادوں پر کیس ری اوپن کرنا عدلیہ کے لئے بھی دشوار ہوسکتا ہے۔
ایک ایسے ملک میں جہاں انوسٹی گیشن سے لے کر سماعت کے مرحلے تک کرپشن اور نا اہلی کا پورا جال بچھا ہوا ہو وہاں صرف یہی ایک فیصلہ نہیں بلکہ سینکڑوں فیصلے مشکوک ہیں۔اگر نئے ثبوتوں کی بنیاد پر نظرِ ثانی کا قانون بن جائے تو سب کا بھلا ہوسکتا ہے۔ایسا قانون تاریخ کے ضمیر پر دھرا پتھر ہلکا کرنے کا کام کرتا ہے۔
ویسے، ایسے کئی ہائی پروفائل واقعات و فیصلے ہیں جو ازخود نوٹس یا ریویو کے منتظر ہیں۔
مثلاً جس طرح یحییٰ خان کو مارشل لا لگانے پر غاصب قرار دیا گیا اسی طرح کیا ایوب خان ، ضیا الحق اور پرویز مشرف بھی غاصب ہیں یا نہیں؟
جنہوں نے بھی ملک کے دو ٹکڑے کرنے میں براہ راست سیاسی و عسکری کردار ادا کیا، آیا وہ غداری کے قانون تلے آتے ہیں یا نہیں۔جنہوں نے بھی سابق مشرقی پاکستان میں غیر مسلح عام آبادی کے خلاف جرائم کئے ۔کیا وہ انسانیت کے خلاف جرائم ہیں یا نہیں؟
بلوچستان میں جو لاشیں مل رہی ہیں یا کراچی میں جو ٹارگٹ کلنگ ہو رہی ہے کیا ان کی ذمہ داری کسی ادارے، گروہ یا فرد پر عائد کرنے کے لئے کسی عدالت کو ازخود نوٹس لینا چاہئے یا نہیں؟
اس سلسلے میں جو درخواستیں دائر ہوچکی ہیں، کیا ان پر تیز رفتار پیش رفت ضروری اور ممکن ہے کہ نہیں ؟
کیا عدالت کے رو برو غلط بیانی کوانصاف کی راہ میں رکاوٹ تصور کرکے عملاً کسی بھی پاٹے خان کو سزا دی جاسکتی ہے یا نہیں ؟
کیا ہائی پرفائل واقعات اور سیاسی و عسکری اداروں کی حدود کے بارے میں برسوں پہلے دائر کردہ پیٹیشنز کو سرد خانے سے نکال کر ان میں جان ڈالی جاسکتی ہے یا نہیں ؟
اگر یہ سب کلی یا جزوی طور پر ممکن نہیں اور ایسے ہر کھٹن سوال کے جواب میں ’معروضی حالات‘ کی ڈھال ہی استعمال ہونی ہے تو پھر ڈرامے اور نوٹنکی کی بھلا کیا ضرورت ہے ؟
اٹھارہ کروڑ کا جی بہلانے اور توجہ بٹانے کے اور بھی تو دل فریب طریقے ہیں !!!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2011/04/110403_baat_se_baat_fz.shtml
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto: Killer of Bengalese
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the head of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) in 1971. In the general election of 1970, Bhutto won 88 seats in West Pakistan as opposed to Mujib’s 162 seats out of 169. As per the legislation Mujib was supposed to form the government of Pakistan. According to some Pakistani high officials sources, at first president Yahya was more inclined to hand power over to Mujib.
But Bhutto opposed Yahya’s decision. Bhutto represented the influential feudal lords. Pakistani military-feudal axis vehemently opposed the transference of power. They were afraid that Mujib’s democratic policies may adversely affect the existing feudal system of West Pakistan and curb the power of the top civil and military bureaucrats. So their representative Bhutto invited Yahya in the notorious Larkana meeting and together two shrewd jackals conspired to repress the Bangalees with military means and retain the political power in the hands of the West Pakistanis. This theory is plausible because such a brilliant idea is more likely to emanate from the arch machiavellian: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Yahya is more given to kill his fellow countrymen to show off his military prowess than formulate a brilliant idea to sort all the problems together: destroy Bangladesh; keep the power in the hands of Bhutto and him; make Niazi and the army the scapegoat of the war in order to divert the attention of the Pakistani people. Tajuddin Ahmed was right to think that Bhutto was the deux ex machina behind the political conspiracy leading to the devastation of Pakistan: “…..Bhutto is responsible for the unprecedented brutality unleashed nationwide. Seating with him is impossible. Tajuddin’s view on Bhutto as described by Rao Forman Ali.
Bhutto manipulated the military monsters (Yahya, Tikka) to secure his power and maintain his vested interest in politics. All through his political career he thrived on conspiracy and intrigues. As often the fate of such treacherous politicians is to end up in the hands of the partners in crime, Bhutto was justified to be hanged by his own Frankenstein: General Ziaul Huq in a murder case registered by one of his own party member Mr.Qasoori against him for killing his father by using government official.
There is need to start criminal investigation against Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for genocide of Bangalese and crimes against humanity by United Nations.
MashAllah For the first time I heard true.It is surprising for me how was so true writings published in Pakistan.The writer deserve respect because every writer in Pakistan admit and accept that the above writings are correct but no one can write so because they afraid while the great Sheraz paracha does not afraid.In fact his above column is the need and voice even cry of current time.If we want the treatment of the illnesses of our beloved country then we should follow the prescription of Mr.Sheraz Paracha