Editor’s Note:  This initiative by President Zardari is a welcome one.  If anything, the history of the current PPP government and those of the other two PPP governments headed by Benazir Bhutto highlight the stranglehold the security establishment has on the country.  One should view this step from the wider canvas of taking the country back from the establishment and its media, judiciary and civil society proxies.

“I did not kill that man. My God is aware of it. I am big enough to admit if I had done it, that admission would have been less of an ordeal and humiliation than this barbarous trial which no self respecting man can endure. I am a Muslim. A Muslim’s fate is in the hands of God Almighty I can face Him with a clear conscience and tell Him that I rebuilt His Islamic State of Pakistan from ashes into a respectable Nation. I am entirely at peace with my conscience in this black whole of Kot Lakhpat. I am not afraid of death. You have seen what fires I have passed through.”

Letter to his attorney, Yahya Bakhtiar, after his death sentence, as quoted in My Dearest Daughter : A letter from the Death Cell (2007)

April 4^th 1979, marks an ugly day in the history of not only the Pakistan People’s Party, but also in the history of a democratic and progressive Pakistan.   I fully support the decision of the government to re asses the parameters of Bhutto’s case and sentencing by the courts.

Although for a politician, especially and elected one in Pakistan the final verdict in my opinion does not come from a court of law but rather from the court of the people.

Historically those who have read both sides of the story or have analyzed both sides of history know just how fair the trial really was.  I mean come on when General Zia said

“Gentlemen either the rope is around his neck (Bhutto’s) or it’s around mine”.

It is important that the ruling Party along with the government of the day re open the matter to appease not only their workers but set the course of history right. But let’s get something straight is that their only intention with regard to the re opening of the case?  I highly doubt it.
Again and again critics raise the same question if Benazir Bhutto despite coming into power twice before her martyrdom did not touch her father’s case then why is the government so keen on doing so?

Well the first explanation of this can be drawn from Aitizaz Ahsan’s article “In memoriam: Benazir Bhutto by Aitzaz Ahsan”.

The author re calls how one of the three biggest traits that he will always remember Bibi for was her “ability to forgive her enemies and at times even embrace them”.

Secondly, it is no longer a hidden fact that the intervention by the military establishment in the everyday working affairs of all elected governments of the late 80’s and 90’s is something that is now common knowledge.

The ruling party specifically President Asif  Ali Zardari has said that the re opening of the case is not a ‘Vindictive Act’ on behalf of his party. I agree, which is why the matter is now in the courts for revision.  After all it was this same institution, the Supreme Court of Pakistan that upheld the death sentence by a margin of 4:3. Intrestingly, the three judges that were not in favor of the death sentence all belonged to smaller provinces while the four that upheld the sentence all belonged to the province of Punjab.

Affiliations of both Chief Justices of the Lahore High Court as well as the Supreme Court were not hidden. Both were said to be fierce critics of Bhutto and a vivid example of this can be drawn from the testimony of Bhutto which began on 25th January 1978. Chief Justice Maulvi Mustaq closed the courtroom to all observers, not willing to take any chances of international coverage.

This black spot on the judiciary’s hands in dispensing justice must be cleansed at any cost. Whether it’s through a simple judgment or through the creation of a truth a reconciliation commission based on the recommendations of the Charter of Democracy. It is imminent to also note that the Judiciary and members of the judiciary were not the only compliances in this ‘Judicial Murder’. Naturally since it was a martial law government, a whole variety of individuals and institutions were involved including some present day PPP leaders. However the contrary argument to that is generally that Bibi inducted these people into the party during her life time. So what? Does that mean they don’t need to apologize for dancing and distributing sweets at Bhutto’s death, as Babar Awan is rumored to have done during his days in the Jamaat. (According to Israr Shah).

History has always been kind to the Bhutto’s. While it may hold them accountable for their blunders as politicians, history has always been on their side and the confidence of the people is proof of this in every general election that Pakistan has seen.  The common man has always reposed their confidence in the Party of Bhutto as well as his philosophy.

People from all walks of life that I have spoken to even the leaders of the Pakistan National Alliance(PNA) whose sole aim was to oust Bhutto, have told me not once but various times that his death was a very unfortunate event for Pakistan and it set us back in terms of progress.
The government of the day must strive hard to bring Justice to the Bhutto name because without it they stand nowhere.

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