Wednesday, April 27, 2011
* Appellate bench issues notices for May 4 to President Zardari, others
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: While accepting the plea of Ghinva Bhutto seeking share and rights in the property of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) and his spouse Begum Nusrat Bhutto, the Shariat Appellate Bench (SAB) of the apex court on Tuesday issued notices for May 4 to the parties concerned, including President Asif Ali Zardari.
The appellate bench comprised Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Dr Fida Muhammad Khan and Justice Dr Muhammad al Ghazali.
The application, filed through Mazhar Alam advocate, prayed the court to issue order that like Asif Ali Zardari and his children, Ghinva Bhutto, her son Zulfikar Junior and daughter Fatima Bhutto should also be made trustees of People’s Foundation Trust, founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Bhutto. It is worth mentioning here that a case on the same issue is already under adjudication before the Supreme Court.
Earlier, on May 19 last year, the Shariat Appellate Bench had issued notices to Asif Ali Zardari, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Gulzar Begum while hearing a case pertaining to transfer of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Trust’s assets to Asif Ali Zardari and his children. The bench had also issued notices to Bilawal, Asifa and Bakhtawar, the legal heirs of late Benazir Bhutto, through President Asif Ali Zardari.
During the regime of General Ziaul Haq, People’s Foundation Trust, founded on August 8, 1974, was nationalised and converted into Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Trust. Last year, the Federal Shariat Court had reversed the 1977 orders of General Ziaul Haq to take over control of the trust, which were founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Mir Murtaza Bhutto. The three founders were the trustees while Benazir Bhutto was its chairperson. The trust was run with the financial support of UAE rulers. The Zia regime after taking control of the trust had suspended the board of trustees and the board of directors of every institution connected therewith, and also had frozen the accounts of the trust. On Zia’s orders, the name of the trust was changed to Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Trust.
In March 2002, Benazir filed a petition with the FSC, which was decided on April 15, 2010. Declaring the 1977 Martial Law Orders as repugnant to Islam, the FSC had directed the ministries and divisions to return the ownership, properties and assets of the government-controlled trust to the heirs of Benazir and Nusrat Bhutto. The FSC judgment said that the trustees were performing their stipulated rights and obligations in accordance with the laid down procedure and managing the affairs of the trust smoothly
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\04\27\story_27-4-2011_pg7_17
* Appellate bench issues notices for May 4 to President Zardari, others
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: While accepting the plea of Ghinva Bhutto seeking share and rights in the property of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) and his spouse Begum Nusrat Bhutto, the Shariat Appellate Bench (SAB) of the apex court on Tuesday issued notices for May 4 to the parties concerned, including President Asif Ali Zardari.
The appellate bench comprised Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Dr Fida Muhammad Khan and Justice Dr Muhammad al Ghazali.
The application, filed through Mazhar Alam advocate, prayed the court to issue order that like Asif Ali Zardari and his children, Ghinva Bhutto, her son Zulfikar Junior and daughter Fatima Bhutto should also be made trustees of People’s Foundation Trust, founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Bhutto. It is worth mentioning here that a case on the same issue is already under adjudication before the Supreme Court.
Earlier, on May 19 last year, the Shariat Appellate Bench had issued notices to Asif Ali Zardari, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Gulzar Begum while hearing a case pertaining to transfer of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Trust’s assets to Asif Ali Zardari and his children. The bench had also issued notices to Bilawal, Asifa and Bakhtawar, the legal heirs of late Benazir Bhutto, through President Asif Ali Zardari.
During the regime of General Ziaul Haq, People’s Foundation Trust, founded on August 8, 1974, was nationalised and converted into Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Trust. Last year, the Federal Shariat Court had reversed the 1977 orders of General Ziaul Haq to take over control of the trust, which were founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Mir Murtaza Bhutto. The three founders were the trustees while Benazir Bhutto was its chairperson. The trust was run with the financial support of UAE rulers. The Zia regime after taking control of the trust had suspended the board of trustees and the board of directors of every institution connected therewith, and also had frozen the accounts of the trust. On Zia’s orders, the name of the trust was changed to Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan Trust.
In March 2002, Benazir filed a petition with the FSC, which was decided on April 15, 2010. Declaring the 1977 Martial Law Orders as repugnant to Islam, the FSC had directed the ministries and divisions to return the ownership, properties and assets of the government-controlled trust to the heirs of Benazir and Nusrat Bhutto. The FSC judgment said that the trustees were performing their stipulated rights and obligations in accordance with the laid down procedure and managing the affairs of the trust smoothly
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\04\27\story_27-4-2011_pg7_17
