ISLAMABAD: Justice Athar Minallah of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought reply from the interior ministry on a petition filed by a son of slain prosecutor Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali, seeking notification for his martyrdom.

Chaudhry Zulfiqar was special public prosecutor in Benazir Bhutto murder case in which retired General Pervez Musharraf is also an accused.

He was murdered on May 3, 2013, hours before filing charge-sheet against retired General Pervez Musharraf.

The prosecutor had served 25 years in the FIA and after retirement in 2009 was appointed as the special public prosecutor to pursue ‘high profile’ cases including the Benazir Bhutto murder case, Mumbai attacks case, Haj corruption case and the Army House attack case.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali, son of the prosecutor, in his petition tried to justify that his father deserved the status of martyrdom.

On January 31, 2014, the FIA had sent a recommendation to the interior ministry seeking martyrdom for Zulfiqar as at the time of assassination he was on an official assignment, he said.

According to the petition, despite repeated reminders and requests by the petitioner, the interior ministry did not issue the notification.

The petitioner said his father had no enmity with anyone.

Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till next week.

Published in Dawn, September 9th , 2014