Acting President Nayyar Hussain Bokhari on Tuesday appointed Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan counsel to the court in the reference made by the president under Article 186 of the constitution to revisit the trial of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The summary received from the Ministry of Law and Justice, through the Prime Minister’s Office, said the president, on the advice of the prime minister, had earlier authorised the-then federal minister for law, justice & parliamentary affairs to appear, argue and assist the Supreme Court in the said reference.
It said the Supreme Court, in Reference No 1 of 2011 had asked the attorney general for Pakistan, vide para 6 of the Order dated 17-01-2012, “to inform the president of Pakistan that in view of January 5, and Tuesday’s order, the licence of Babar Awan has temporarily been suspended, therefore it would be appropriate if another counsel is appointed to address arguments in the Reference which is one of the most important cases in the history of this court.”