ISLAMABAD: Ousted Pakistani Premier, MS Benazir Bhutto, who is facing a murder rap in a Hyderabad court, is also to be charged with high treason.

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday allowed Choudhury Nazir Mohammad, an advocate to file an amended writ petition seeking direction from the court to the federation of Pakistan to lodge a first information report (FIR) against MS Bhutto, her ministers and advisers in the ousted government for high treason.

The petitioner contended that Ms Bhutto had subverted the constitution, had indulged in “horse trading” for political gains and was allegedly involved in cases of corruption.

The petitioner also contended that Ms Bhutto had usurped the authority of the provinces resulting in confrontation which had adversely affected the integrity and wellbeing of Pakistan.

Ms Bhutto, the former Sindh chief minister, Aftab Shaban Mirani and others have been charged with murder for the police action in Pucca Qila area in Hyderabad on May 26 in which several persons including women and children were killed while staging a peaceful demonstration.

The Sindh high court had extended the anticipatory bail period granted to Zardari till September 9. In his bail plea, Asif Ali Zardari said he feared arrest in the case relating to Fauzi Ali Kazmi.

As the matter came up before a packed court, the government sought time to collect material and records from the police and the home department in this connection.

Ms Bhutto’s husband has also been linked to a racket in imported cars which was last week unearthed in Karachi.

In Peshawar, the high court adjourned till September 9, hearing of a written petition challenging the formation of special tribunals set up by the federal government to try former legistrators.

The petition, filed by a former PPP member of the provincial assembly, Syed Ayub Shah, contended that the government decision was repugnant to the provisions of the constitution.

While president Ghulam Ishaq Khan has filed three references against three former ministers, he has so far not referred any cases against Ms Bhutto to the special courts,

The Pakistan president had cited corruption, violation of constitution and misuse of government resources as reasons for dismissing the Bhutto government on August 6.

During the past 10 days, several federal ministers in the Jatoi cabinet made categorical assertions that cases of corruption and abuse of office backed by irrefutable evidence would be filed against Ms Bhutto and others “within a few days”.

Meanwhile, in Karachi, the Ferozabad police have registered a case against Ms Bhutto’s husband, Asif Ali Zardari, on cheating and other charges following a statement made by Fauzi Ali Kazmi, said to be his close friend, who was arrested in a scandal involving duty free shops.

Zardari has denied allegations that he had secured bank loans to the tune of millions of rupees for Fauzi Kazmi who was allegedly running the business as his “front” man.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 14, 1990