Islamabad, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari attended the hearing of the presidential reference on Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s murder. Talking to the media in the premises of the Supreme Court, Chairman PPP said that he hopes that the justice which the daughter of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto could not get will be provided to his grandson.

Chairman PPP said that Pakistan was ruled by dictatorship for about half of its existence and Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was martyred during a dictatorship. Now, the progress of the judiciary and parliament are linked to this issue. We hope that the founder of the Constitution who laid the foundation of the buildings of the Supreme Court and the Parliament, will get justice. He was judicially murdered. For a murder, there is no time limitation for the case to be taken up. Honourable judges will decide through this reference whether justice was meted out in this case during a dictatorship and the resultant remedy. The judiciary will be able to wash out the blot on it. The Chief Justice has said today that the blot on the other institutions will also be washed through this opportunity. We can draw a line on the sand that whatever happened in the past was wrong so that we can look towards the future so such heinous crimes are not repeated. Chairman Bilawal said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir had a dream to get justice for her father and we are thankful to President Zardari for sending this reference which provided us an opportunity to get justice. He said that he was impressed by the intellectual calibre of the judges. They are looking at the case with not only the regard to law but also history and the facts and figures are on their fingertips. It gives me pleasure to see that the first woman judge of the Supreme Court is also in the bench hearing this case, Chairman Bilawal expressed. History goes forward in a beautiful manner.

Responding to the questions by the journalists, Chairman Bilawal said that one remedy is the judicial reference and other avenues are also available. If there is no time limitation for those aggrieved by a murder to file a case, then an FIR against the conspirators too can be filed. “What can stop the judiciary from pursuing Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case then?”, Chairman Bilawal expressed. This avenue too is being contemplated. We hope that by this judicial reference we can correct our history as we want to see our institutions blotless. Hence, the legal process could also be explored through a FIR. Responding to another question, Chairman PPP said that he is not impatient regarding the hearing of this case. Journalists should present evidence before levelling any allegation against me, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said.

Chairman Bilawal said that the people are so aware that they did not give a mandate to any single party which gives the message that they do not wish for a single party to face the challenges alone. The people are saying that the parties should get together, and this is known as ‘compromise’ in politics. There is give and take in political coalitions. The people of Pakistan have given their verdict and now the political parties will have to get together to steer the country out of difficulties, save our federation, democracy, parliamentary system and the economy. The only way to achieve this is through dialogue and compromise. The earlier the government formation is completed, the better it is for the country because questions are being raised over the delay which is due to the non-seriousness of the other side. The PTI is technically the largest party but they do not want to talk to anyone. The second largest is the PML-N and the PPP has decided to be receptive to it since it was approached by them. We will give our vote to the PML-N on our own terms. The delay in the government formation is the country’s loss. PPP is steadfast on its philosophy and if the other side is not ready to change its stance then a very dangerous stalemate is expected which will not be in favour of the Pakistani democracy, economy, federation and political stability.