LAHORE A former Chief Law Officer of the Punjab has said that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was exonerated in the murder case of Nawab Muhammad Khan Kasuri by the Judicial Commission headed by Justice Shafiur Rehman. But record of that inquiry is missing in the Lahore High Court archives. Former Advocate General Punjab Mian Abdul Sattar Najam recollecting his memories of premiership era of Zulfiqar Bhutto during which he was an Assistant Advocate General says, following an FIR registered against Bhutto on November 11, 1974, the Lahore High Court Judge, Shafirur Rehman inquired into the matter and scrutinised all points for and against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to conclude that no offence of committing murder as well as abetment was established against Bhutto but findings of that inquiry were not entertained by the trial court after Chief Martial Law Administrator, Ziaul Haq got conducted a fresh probe into the case through the police to undo findings of the commission. Najam said he was deputed to assist the Commission as such he was eye witness to what happened. Najam said he was obliged to leave the country when the during the martial law of Zia attempts were made to arrest him after he refused to give evidence against the inquiry. He said Bhuttos trial was not fair but biased and carried a deep involvement of the then agencies which did not leave Bhutto free at any point of time even when he was talking to his lawyers, spouse, children or anyone else. Moreover, he said, then Chief Justice Maulvi Mushtaq bore enmity with Bhutto and this fact has been mentioned recently by a Judge (in an interview) who then on the Bench. Najam who served Advocate General Punjab during the second stint of Benazir Bhutto as prime minister further said that during his stay abroad his office was raided by the agencies personnel and the copy of the findings of the inquiry with him, was taken away. As to the present reference, Najam says it merely aims at seeking Supreme Court opinion. He said reference is however not without political motives to push Benazir Bhutto case to the backburner, which is evident from the fact the majority in the CEC meeting of the PPP also wanted follow up of the Banezir case, which is only three years old and fresh in the public memory.