By IRNA
Islamabad : A court in the Pakistani southern port city of Karachi on Monday acquitted widower of slain leader Benazir Bhutto in a murder case of a judge and his son.
Asif Ali Zardari was charged in the assassination of double murder of High Court Judge Justice Nizam Ahmed and his son Nadim Ahmed, a lawyer, who were shot dead in an attack on June 10, 1996, outside their house in Karachi.
Zardari’s lawyer Shadat Awan said that the prosecution failed to produce any evidence against his client and that the case was filed on political grounds.
Seven cases of corruption have already been dropped against Zardari under a reconciliation ordinance issued by President Pervez Musharraf in October last year, which had also paved the way for Bhutto’s return from exile.
Zardari’s lawyer said that the case was heard for almost 12 years but no formal charges were framed against his client.
The killings were attributed to a dispute over a prized plot in Karachi as Justice Nizam Ahmed had opposed its commercialization and illegal allotment.
The plot was stated to be purchased by Javed Akhtar Pirzada as a front man for Asif Ali Zardari, an accused in the case.
Zardari’s lawyer had filed a petition in the court, seeking acquittal of his client due to the prosecution failure to produce any proofs of his involvement in the murder case.
Government’s lawyer Nimatullah Randhawa had told the court in last hearing on March 19 that no witness has recorded statement against Mr Zardari and that the case against Zardari was baseless.
The judge of the District and Session court had reserved the judgment on March 19 and announced the verdict on Monday.
Zardari’s lawyer said that his client is still facing a case of alleged narcotics smuggling and the murder of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the slain brother of Benazir Bhutto.