Supreme Court senior judge Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar has declared that the execution of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, based solely on the statement of an approver, was contrary to law and the fundamental principles of justice.
In a detailed 24-page note issued on the presidential reference concerning Bhutto’s execution, Justice Mazhar stated that decisions made in haste, anger, or prejudice violate not only Pakistan’s legal framework but also Islamic principles of justice. Referring to past interviews of former Chief Justice Naseem Hasan Shah, Justice Mazhar noted that Shah had himself admitted that the verdict in the Bhutto case was delivered under pressure. He observed that such an admission leaves no room for doubt that the execution amounted to a “judicial killing” and constituted a clear violation of a judge’s oath.