To everything there is a season. But the Peoples Party has seen fit to act upon the execution of its founding father and most charismatic leader, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. President Zardari, by exercising his power under Article 186 of the Constitution to send a law question for consideration of the Supreme Court, has resurrected the most controversial execution trial in Pakistani history.
The timing of this move is questionable; critics question why the president is pursuing with such alacrity the murder case of his father-in-law over finding the killers of his wife. On the other hand, it is clear that the PPP is now in a position to finally close the book on what was clearly the judicial murder of its foremost and first martyr and lay its tormenting demons to rest.
By filing a reference to the Supreme Court, the party is seemingly determined to revisit another turbulent period in Pakistani history. The driving force behind the reference seems to be to rekindle flagging support, particularly amongst the partys traditional support base. Through what many call an elaborate pantomime, the current government seeks to make political hay out of the memory and universal respect commanded by Zulfikar Bhutto.
The gambit is a dramatic ploy but it will not serve justice; perhaps it isnt even meant to do that. It is an exercise in futility since the culprits in the case were identified long ago. One fails to see the wisdom of dredging up the past when a satisfactory conclusion is unlikely in the extreme.
Perhaps more appropriate would be to vest greater effort in the hunt for Benazirs assassins who are still on the loose. By raising the Zulfikar case, there is every chance that it will trivialise the murder of his daughter. Benazir Bhuttos murder is one of immediate concern and it may continue to drift further into the realm of irrelevance, especially if attention is diverted to a case where most of the accused are already dead and buried.
