Fall of Z.A. Bhutto

1977

Worst Dictatorship…

• Report of Indian Secretary of External Affairs.

Federal Security Force

• Main achievements– The murders of:1. Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan

Casuri2. Dr. Nazeer Ahmad3. Molvi Shams-ud-din4. Javaid Nazeer5. Khawaja Rafeeq

• It was renamed after Bhutto’s decline as Federal Investigation Agency

Nawab Muhammad Ahmad Khan Casuri

Popular unrest

• Pakistan National Alliance (PNA)– It was a 9 party alliance against

government of Bhutto and his colleagues

• Mubashir Hassan

National Awami Party (NAP)

• There is one possible grave for two people ... let us see who gets in first.– Khan Vali Khan

Military coup

• 3 July 1977 (planning of coup has been taking place in the General Combatant Headquarters (GHQ) )

• General Zia announced that martial law had been imposed, the constitution suspended and all assemblies dissolved and promised elections within ninety days.

Arrangements for the coup

• Special Air Service (SAS). Major-General Tajamul Hussain Malik

Arrest…

• 5-29 July 1977 • 3-13 September 1977 on charges of authorizing the murder of a political

opponent in March 1974

• Justice KMA Samadani, found the evidence to be "contradictory and incomplete. As a result, Justice Samadani was immediately removed from the bench and placed at the disposal of the law ministry

• 16 September this time under "martial law

Trial…

• Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Maulvi Mushtaq Hussain.

• Alleged assassins were arrested and later confessed. They were brought into court as "co-accused" but one of them recanted his testimony, declaring that it had been extracted from him under torture. The following day, the witness was not present in court and the prosecution claimed that he had suddenly "fallen ill".

• Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark called it a mock trial fought in a Kangaroo court.

Death sentence and appeal

• On 18 March 1978, Bhutto was not declared guilty of murder but was sentenced to death.

• A hearing before the Supreme Court commenced in May. Bhutto was given one week to prepare.

• Chief Justice S. Anwarul Haq adjourned the court until the end of July 1978, supposedly because five of the nine appeal court judges were willing to overrule the Lahore verdict. One of the pro-Bhutto judges was due to retire in July.

• I did not kill that man. My God is aware of it. I am big enough to admit if I had done it, that admission would have been less of an ordeal and humiliation than this barbarous trial which no self respecting man can endure. I am a Muslim. A Muslim's fate is in the hands of God Almighty. I can face Him with a clear conscience and tell Him that I rebuilt His Islamic State of Pakistan from ashes into a respectable Nation. I am entirely at peace with my conscience in this black hole of Kot Lakhpat. I am not afraid of death. You have seen what fires I have passed through.

• The appeal was completed on 23 December 1978. On 6 February 1979, the Supreme Court issued a guilty verdict, a decision reached by a bare 4-to-3 majority.

• On 24 March 1979 the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal. Zia upheld the death sentence. Bhutto was hanged at Central jail, Rawalpindi, on 4 April 1979, and is buried in Village Cemetery at Garhi Khuda Baksh.

Last Words…

• "Oh Lord, help me for... I am innocent"