ISLAMABAD  -  Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bila­wal Bhutto Zardari said Tuesday that history must be rectified in Zul­fikar Ali Bhutto case.

Speaking to journal­ists here after attending a hearing of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Presidential Reference at the Su­preme Court, Bilawal said he was present at the building where then President Asif Ali Zardari had sent a refer­ence twelve years ago.

“Twelve years later, the hearing took place today, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa. We are grateful to the judges for taking the decision to listen to this case at last. Our only appeal with the court is that history is rectified, this mistake is corrected and those involved in this crime are brought to book,” he said. Bilawal said he had submitted an applica­tion in 2018, for this case to be heard and for him to be made a representative as a le­gal heir. “We are grateful for getting the op­portunity to be heard in this case along with our lawyers. While being a challenge for the judiciary, this case is also an opportunity to correct the mistakes of the past. We want justice for Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and surely, we demand the answers to the questions raised by the former President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari in his reference. We want for the stain on this institution and law to be re­moved,” he added.

He said a decision in this case cannot re­turn the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhut­to, Mir Murtaza Bhutto, Shahnawaz Bhutto and the PPP workers who accepted martyr­dom, “but we can at least hope that the Chief Justice and other judges would do what they can at least. The nation should be told that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was la­belled a murderer was actually the victim.”

He said the entire system of the acted as a facilitator. “We want to expose the perpetra­tors, including the dictator, judges, lawyers and politicians of the time,” he maintained. 

Bilawal said the people of Pakistan had de­cided long ago that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was innocent. “They know that Henry Kissing­er had warned that ‘We will make a horrible example out of you,’ but Zulfikar Ali Bhut­to gifted atomic power to the country and did not compromise on his principles. The people of this country know that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a leader of the Muslim Um­mah, and not only did he unite the Muslim world, he made them realise their true po­tential.” He said even at that time, “when our Palestinian brothers and sisters were suf­fering, it was Bhutto who made the Islamic leadership realise that the oil they possess is their strength. They collectively decided to apply an embargo till the Palestinian peo­ple are given relief. None of the leaders of the Muslim Ummah involved in this decision died a natural death.” He said the PPP’s ap­peal with the court is that history should be rectified. “This mistake should be corrected and those involved in this crime are brought to book,” Bilawal said. He said the person Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was accused of attempt­ing to murder is still alive and was present in the court, but Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ex­ecuted. “Everyone calls Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a martyr, is a murderer ever called so. The pa­rameters of the case that involve our Con­stitution, law, Islamic jurisprudence and the laws of natural justice and whether they al­low for someone to be sentenced to the gal­lows while the supposed subject of the con­spiracy is still alive act as a question mark,” he said. The PPP chief said Zulfikar Ali Bhut­to was given a death sentence, “but our reli­gion, law and the Constitution do not allow that. We hope that our judiciary has decided not only to set history straight, but allow for the restoration of trust between the people and this institution.”

Bilawal said he expects a court verdict so that the path towards giving such a ruling is forever closed. “This case is never quoted as a precedent in the country’s judicial history. While the case itself may not be quoted, the precedent of the manner in which the rul­ing of this case was dictated is still applied. We hope from, and it is our appeal to Jus­tice Qazi Faez Isa and every single judge of the Supreme Court to close that door too,” he said. To a question, Bilawal said that the first step towards setting the record straight was providing justice in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case. He said it was hoped that not only the nation and the PPP are given relief in this case, but it is the right of the other parties to get jus­tice as well, be it the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) or the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf.

“Everyone has the right for their cas­es to be heard under the law and the Con­stitution. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case has been pending for long and no one can at­tain true justice until he does. The people will not accept that they are given justice until Bhutto Awam receives it, only after that can they wish to get justice for them­selves. We believe that the lawyers, politi­cians, judiciary, the dictator and the other people who lied and are lying to this day should be exposed before the nation,” he maintained. Bilawal said that the judiciary has shown great courage as far as terror­ism is concerned. He said Justice Qazi Faez Isa had given a strong ruling in the case re­volving around what happened with the lawyers in Quetta.

Chairman Bilawal said that as far as the election date is concerned, Justice Qazi Faez Isa himself said that it is written in stone that it will happen on February 8.

“Hence, it should not be questioned whether elections will take place on the ex­act date,” he added. Referring to Zardari’s statement given in a recent interview, Bila­wal said he had stated that the elections will be held on time and his response was being taken out of context.