The hearing on the presidential reference challenging Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s death sentence, labeled a judicial murder, has been adjourned until Tuesday. During the proceedings, Court Assistant Barrister Salahuddin referred to an interview with Naseem Hasan Shah, where the judge admitted to having enmity with Bhutto. The assistant argued that the judge mentioned Bhutto’s lawyer making him angry, raising questions about the impact of the lawyer’s conduct on the death penalty case. Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa emphasized the need to hear the criminal side of the matter, scheduling further proceedings for the next day.
The hearing also featured the appearance of Aitzaz Ahsan as an assistant, who was inquired about his delayed appearance. Chief Justice Isa expressed concerns about someone making statements on Aitzaz Ahsan’s behalf, indicating that the court would listen to him if there were no objections. Additionally, Farooq Naik, representing Bilawal Bhutto, requested to be a party in the case, emphasizing his lack of relation to the State President.
The order issued at the end of the hearing noted that judicial assistants Khalid Javed and Salahuddin had completed their arguments, with further proceedings scheduled for the next day at 11:30. The ongoing hearing marks a significant development in reevaluating the circumstances surrounding Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s death sentence, reflecting concerns about judicial conduct and fairness in the historical case.
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