ISLAMABAD: Acting President Nayyar Hussain Bukhari on Tuesday appointed Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, in place of Babar Awan, as counsel to argue and address the Supreme Court in a reference of revisiting the trial of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

President Asif Ali Zardari has made the reference under Article 186 of the constitution to revisit the trail of Bhutto.

The summary received from the ministry of law and justice, through the prime minister's office, said that the president, on the advice of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, 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 that 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 the order dated 05-01-2012 and today's order, the license of Babar Awan, Sr. ASC 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.”

In view of this, the law ministry suggested to the prime minister to advise the president to appoint another counsel to address the court in the above-cited reference.

Accordingly, the prime minister advised the president for appointing another counsel and today the acting president appointed Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Sr. ASC to address the court in the reference.