Zia softening on Bhutto?

Press, 20 February 1979, Page 8

Zia softening on Bhutto?

NZPA-Reuter Islamabad Pakistan’s military ruler, General Mohammad Zia-Ul-Haq, said in an interview just released that he would not decide himself on the fate of the condemned former Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but would let the country’s military and civilian leadership rule collectively on any appeal. President Zia told the American C.B.S. television network that technically he would have the final decision if the Supreme Court rejected a petition against the death penalty imposed on Bhutto for organising a political assassination four years ago. But he said that, if Mr Bhutto, a member of his

family, or anyone in Pakistan appealed on his behalf, he would not keep the prerogative to himself, but would place it before a panel of the entire military hierarchy and the military-led Cabinet. “Let this be not a unilateral decision by me, because people might think that I am against Mr Bhutto, and I have involved him in this ease, therefore I am deciding,” he said in a text of the interview. “Let the cabinet decide, if and when the appeal comes, whether it should be accepted or rejected.” He said it would decide by a majority decision. The Supreme Court is to discuss a defence petition next Saturday against its 4-3 decision upholding

the death sentence imposed for an ambush on a politician, Raza Kasuri. Mr Kasuri escaped but his father, Nawab Mohammad Ahmed Khan, was fatally wounded. Bhutto has said he would not lodge a clemency appeal with General Zia, who overthrew him in a coup in mid--1977. He has also forbidden his family to appeal on his behalf. But General Zia said he had already received a couple of appeals, without giving details. General Zia’s latest pronouncement may indicate a softening of his attitude towards Bhutto’s execution. He had said previously that he would carry out the verdict of the Supreme Court.