ISLAMABAD: The reference seeking to reopen the case of former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was received by the Supreme Court on Saturday, DawnNews reported.

According to a statement issued by the Supreme Court, the reference was presented to Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

Earlier today, Law Minister Babar Awan said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had “not accepted the judicial decision against Zulfikar Bhutto to this day”.

Speaking to media representatives in Islamabad, Awan said the reference to reopen the case could not be filed during the previous two governments of the PPP due to their eventual dismissals by the then presidents Ghulam Ishaque Khan and Farooq Leghari.

Awan further said that the government wanted the case reopened in order to strengthen the country’s judicial system.

On Friday, President Asif Ali Zardari signed the reference which seeks to reopen the case of the former prime minister and PPP founder who was hanged on April 4, 1979, in Rawalpindi.

The execution has been widely termed a ‘judicial murder’.

The reference was signed in the presence of Awan and Sindh Home Minister Zulfikar Mirza and was sent to the Supreme Court by the ministry of law.

The president had been authorised by the federal cabinet last week to send such a reference to the apex court.