ZAB reference case hearing underway

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is heading an-eleven member larger bench hearing a presidential reference regarding revisiting of late premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s murder case.
The larger bench includes the Chief Justice, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Nasir ul Mulk, Justice Jawwad S. Khawja, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmani and Justice Amir Hani Muslim.
The Presidential reference was sent to apex court under Article 186.
The case is likely to proceed on day-to-day basis from today to 16th December 2011, as the court will have break for winter vacations from 19th December to 31st December 2011.
On the last date of hearing on June 29, the matter was adjourned by the larger bench with the observation that the SC would take up the case subject to availability of the bench.
On April 21, the court had also appointed amicus curiae including senior advocates/jurists, M/s Ali Ahmed Kurd, Tariq Mehmood, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, Khalid Anwar, Makhdoom Ali Khan, S. M. Zafar, Aitzaz Ahsan, Zahoorul Haq and Abdul Latif Afridi.
Khalid Anwar had expressed his inability to assist the court as amicus curiae by sending a written request, which was accepted and in his place Qazi Muhammad Ashraf was appointed.
During the course of hearing on June 29, Attorney General for Pakistan also requested more time to prepare further arguments particularly with reference to each question referred by the President of Pakistan.
While Dr Babar Awan, counsel for referring authority had completed his arguments over the case raising five major questions for the apex court to revisit the murder case.