SC moved against UN probe into BB murder

LAHORE - A constitutional petition has been moved before the Supreme Court of Pakistan against seeking the United Nations probe into the murder of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto killed in a bomb-and-gun attack in Rawalpindi on December 27 last when she was leaving the venue at Liaquat Bagh after making a public address.
Enlisting President, federation and law ministry as respondents, the petition has been moved by Watan Party invoking various articles of the Constitution to argue that the national sovereignty and independence would be at stake in case the UN is approached for help in the investigation of Benazir murder case.
Through Barrister Zafarullah Khan, the petitioner prayed that the confidence of the people in the state institutions would be badly eroded if the government moved the UN ignoring and casting suspicion on their credibility.
He further contends that the murder case of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the brother of Benazir Bhutto, was also probed and decided under the law of the land and moving UN to seek probe into Benazir case appears a redundant exercise in face of the fact that local court has already exercised jurisdiction on her assassination. So the government must have confidence in the local judicial system.
The petitioner with reference to the UN probe into murder of Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafik Hariri, said the UN Commission was set up to look into the factors behind murder of Hariri when the US had approached it under political motives which appears not to be involved in the Benazir case.
The petition says the UN probe into Benazir’s assassination would provide for the agencies of other countries to interfere into our affairs while the possibility cannot be ruled out of their extending the scope of investigation up to our nuclear assets.
It says the Constitution of Pakistan does not permit the government to seek help from any other country when a complete legal mechanism is available to serve the end.
The petitioner has prayed to the court for declaring illegal and unconstitutional the government move to seek appointment of a UN commission to look into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. It has also sought a court declaration that fundamental rights as provided by the Constitution would be violated if interference by any other country or agency is allowed into our domestic affairs.