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Hussain Shah, and Security Battalion Commander and Security Officer Lieutenant-Colonel
Rafiuddin had all arrived to carry out court orders.
As narrated by Col Rafiuddin in his book Bhutto Kay Aakhri 323 Din (The last 323 days of
Bhutto), the jail superintendent visited Bhutto at 6.30pm in his cell, along with a witness. He
found Bhutto lying on the floor. He first called Bhutto’s name to draw his attention, and then
read out the execution order.
“According to the March 18, 1978 order of the Lahore High Court, you, Mr Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto, are to be hanged for the murder of Nawab Mohammad Ahmad Khan,” read the
order. “Your appeal in the Supreme Court was rejected on February 6, 1979 and the review
petition was turned down on March 24, 1979. The president of Pakistan has decided not to
interfere in this matter. So it has been decided to hang you.”
After months of litigation and appeals for clemency, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is finally silenced
“I did not see any sign of panic on Mr Bhutto’s face while the jail superintendent was
reading out the order. Instead, I could see that he was quite calm, relaxed, and had a smile
on his face,” observed the colonel.
After listening to the jail superintendent, Bhutto retorted that he should have been
informed about the execution 24 hours before but that had not been done. On the contrary,
he argued, when his daughter and wife met him at 11.30am, they were not sure about the
day or time either. Bhutto was told that the required order for execution was with the jailer.
Without any hesitation, the jail superintendent then asked Bhutto whether he would like to
write his will, since he was to be hanged in a few hours. Bhutto nodded and asked for some
writing materials. He also asked the jailer to show him the black warrants, to which the jailer
replied that as per the law, that could not be done.
At 8.00pm, Bhutto drank a cup of coffee. He also called for Abdur Rahman, his jail attendant,
and asked Abdur Rahman to forgive him. Around 10.00pm, he asked Rahman to bring some
warm water so that he could shave.