Wednesday, 13 April 2011

LM Babar resigns to plead ZAB case retrial

 Updated at: 1158 PST,  Wednesday, April 13, 2011
LM Babar resigns to plead ZAB case retrial ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that a larger bench would be constituted for hearing of the presidential reference relating presidential reference for revisiting the death sentence passed against the former Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979.

During the hearing, Federal Law Minister, Babar Awan prayed for arguing the case on behalf of the federation and presented his resignation from the ministerial post to the Supreme Court to fully qualify himself for pleading the retrial case.

The Apex court three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry comprising of Jusrice Sair Ali and Justice Ghulam Rabbani started hearing the presidential reference Wednesday.

Several federal ministers and leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party were also present on this occasion.

Chief Justice in his opening remarks said that Bhutto was held in high esteem not only in the country, but also abroad. “He has read those books, which Bhutto wrote in the jail cell”, CJ recalled.

As the hearing set off, Law Minister Babar Awan prayed for arguing on behalf of the federation and said that he was resigning from his ministerial post for this purpose.
The court appreciated his gesture.

“We are taking the issue very seriously and will give it due importance, larger bench will be constituted” CJ added as he adjourned the hearing till Thursday.

Chief Justice said that Babar Awan’s counsel licence if restored today, then the matter of his arguing the case would be taken up tomorrow. He said that judicial aides would be taken from all the four provinces in this case and there could be nine or ten such aides.

Chief Justice said that in this courtroom the history of the military dictator would not be repeated. 
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