Para-66 personal opinion of judge: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari does not foresee any clash among the institutions in the aftermath of verdict of the Special Court in the high treason case against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf as para-66 is just a personal opinion of a judge and not operational part of the verdict.

In a brief press talk at the corridors of the Parliament House on Friday, when the journalist asked him whether he foresaw any clash among the institutions, Bilawal said, “InshaAllah it will not happen.” In a reply to a question with regard to government decision to file a reference in the Supreme Judicial Council against the judge who authored the judgment in the high treason case, the PPP chairman said he had talked on the verdict at press conferences and speeches and there is judicial forum available, right of appeal is also available and if the government and Musharraf want to appeal against the verdict then they can do it. “The government always seems to be confused,” he said.

Bilawal said the para-66 of the verdict is not the operational part and it was only the personal opinion of the judge, which was not even endorsed by other judges. “There is no operational value of para-66 of the verdict,” he said. In a reply to question, he said the government was always confused. Asked about his opinion on the strong reaction coming from an important section of society on the verdict, Bilawal said “I will say nothing about it.”