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The former president of Pakistan and co-chairman of the PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, told journalists that the party was "not satisfied" with the verdict of the Rawalpindi Ant-Terrorism Court (ATC) in the Benazir Bhutto assassination case.
"The judges seem to have been frightened while giving the judgement in the case," he told local journalists in Nawabshah in a brief statement after Eid prayers.
The slain PPP chairperson's spouse said the party's lawyers, after consultations, will challenge the verdict in higher courts and ask judges to revisit the verdict.
Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had said that the "decision is disappointing and unacceptable" and that the party would explore legal options. Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, the youngest of Benazir's children, said that "we still await justice".
In another tweet, she said that there would be no justice until "Pervez Musharraf answers for his crimes".
Sharing her sister's sentiments, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari had also expressed displeasure with the verdict, saying "police men arrested but actual terrorists acquitted #Shame".
The ATC had announced its verdict on Thursday, acquitting five Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) suspects and announcing 17-year imprisonment for two police officials.
The ATC also declared retired Gen Pervez Musharraf an absconder in the case.
Benazir had been killed in a gun-and-bomb attack outside Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27, 2007 while Musharraf was president.
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Comments (29) Closed
Sep 02, 2017 01:15pm
Zardari is solely responsible for the mess around BB's death. He did not allow post mortem, did not push for investigation while he was in power for 5 years, all because he benefitted the most financially and politically for BB's death.
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Sep 02, 2017 01:15pm
This is a fact. Except generals all Pakistanis are in fear when they talk truth. The truths is hidden behind fear.
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Sep 02, 2017 01:20pm
Mr Zardari you were just silent and asleep during the whole time - As President!
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Sep 02, 2017 01:36pm
Killing a leader of World fame was a great tragedy for the people of Pakistan. It appeared that it was well planned. PPP ruled over five years & the people of Pakistan brought PPP in power to know the killers but question is what PPP did for this case in five years? It took NINE years to punish two senior Police Officers. Government servants can be punished at any time. What is the value of government servants? Did they order to wash/ clean or remove the evidences? Where are the reports of Scotland yard & UN commission? Delay in this case is due to PPP. Now they don't agree with the court decision like PMLN. What difference is left between PPP & PMLN behaviour? Why PPP is crying now when you had powers to get justice from courts at your time.
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Sep 02, 2017 01:46pm
Now Asif Zardari says that he is not satisfied with SC's verdict about Benazir's murder. Why didn't he ordered a thorough investigation during his five years in power, the way he wanted? Sadly, the real planners and culprits are still at large and other people have been made scapegoats.
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Sep 02, 2017 01:57pm
How about carrying out a proper postmortem?
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Sep 02, 2017 02:01pm
Mr.Zardari is right because he knew the judicial verdicts are political manipulated, maneuvered by the non-political forces who don't want to see that politically elected democratic rule should prevail in Pakistan.
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Sep 02, 2017 02:41pm
Neither are we satisfied. Your own conduct during your rein of 5 years has been very fishy to say the least.
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Sep 02, 2017 02:42pm
What were you people doing in your five years long tenure???
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Sep 02, 2017 03:11pm
Asif Ali Zardari you were the president of the country for five years. During that time, why did you not get a complete and thorough investigation conducted in regards to the murder of BB?
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Sep 02, 2017 03:18pm
He should come forward with the truth then. Nothing but the truth.
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Sep 02, 2017 03:46pm
Mr Zardari does not have the luxury to criticize court judgement, as his government wasted 5 years in power avoiding BB case altogether. PPP instead went to court on several high profile cases since including rebuke of its PM, defend fashion model's money laundering with connections to its interior minister, packing Hussain Haqqani in a suitcase and shipping him off in a private jet, issuing illegal visas, currently defending a mega corrupt minister of embezzling billions from govt funds.
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Sep 02, 2017 04:46pm
We do nothing when we are at the helm of affairs but afterwards only play Blame Games ! That is why all this mess all around us.
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Sep 02, 2017 05:18pm
Zardari tells the party what they are satisfied with and what they are not satisfied with.
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Sep 02, 2017 06:14pm
You were the President and your party was in power what did you do to find the murderer. You send the Scotland Police investigation to UN and then give the whole issue to FIA. Why did't you made public that report?
The culprit are soon going to be exposed and bring to justice. It just need a JIT like Panama and it is going to be formed soon. It is just a matter of time. God has turned the table on all those, in Pakistan who think they are above the law.
One thing is for sure, because it is the Law of Nature. A murderer is always found. Sometime soon sometime late but never too late.
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Sep 02, 2017 06:19pm
@M. Salimullah Sheikh according to your stories, these same police were punished 5 years ago. NT.
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Sep 02, 2017 06:47pm
One way or the other general Musharraf knows who killed her.
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Sep 02, 2017 07:31pm
He should also be included in the trail so to make it a fair trial
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Sep 02, 2017 08:05pm
Is Zardari making a fool of his party and public saying about BB's murder verdict? He very well knows about this crime as most people of Pakistan believe. The big question all have, why he did not initiate a full investigation of this case when he was PM?
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Sep 02, 2017 09:42pm
Likewise we are not satisfied that you did so little when PPP was in power.
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Sep 02, 2017 11:30pm
. Except generals all Pakistanis are in fear when they talk truth. The truths is hidden behind
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Sep 03, 2017 04:02am
million dollar question who ordered to wash the crime scene, who ordered not to conduct the postmortem. Where is BB cell phone.
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Sep 03, 2017 04:30am
Mr. Zardari its look joke, what you did in your tenure ? whatever done by ATC Judge, pindi is correct.
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Sep 03, 2017 06:03am
When Mr Zardari was in power, what did he do deligently to find murders of his beloved wife?
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Sep 03, 2017 12:21pm
@Asgar Ali Who is "in fear?" as you claim. The politicians, who malign the judiciary, the army and one another whenever and wherever they want? The corrupt politicians, who, despite their tales of loot and plunder being common knowledge across the country, are roaming around scot free? Or the disqualified PM, who says what he wants against the SC and the Panama verdict and finds fault with the system but only after he is thrown out for perjury, forgery and corruption charges are upheld by the court? What and who stops the corrupt from being honest and truthful? Only themselves.
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Sep 03, 2017 02:15pm
The biggest beneficiary of her murder is Mr Zardari. Was he ever investigated if he had anything to do with it?.
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Sep 03, 2017 03:00pm
Bring back Musharraf and find out why the area was cleaned up within very short time. Also put on stand Mr. Babar Awan and ex- Interior Minister who were in the convoy of BB.
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Sep 03, 2017 09:09pm
@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani .It's not SC verdict, it's ATC verdict which can be challenged in HC. It was nobody mistake, alone BB was responsible for emerging out from vehicle,despite little earlier she experienced Karsaz incident.Former President Pervez Musharraf was himself attacked by terrorists,but got saved because he adopted preventive security measures,and did not stuck his head out of vehicle, the whole case may be squashed by HC, as it's a fault of slain leader herself, anc suicide attacker also died. Still vested interests in political arenas find it easy to revive hue and cry on BB death to gain political mileage. That's not fair.
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Sep 04, 2017 09:40am
Look who is saying
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