Hyderabad tribunal

The Hyderabad tribunal (1975–1979), also known as Hyderabad conspiracy case, is the name of a former judicial tribunal used in Pakistan to prosecute opposition politicians of the National Awami Party on the charges of treason and acting against the ideology of Pakistan.

The tribunal was set up on the orders of Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The National Awami Party, which the government banned on 10 February 1975. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, on 30 October 1975, held that the party was working for an independent Pakhtunistan and greater Balochistan at the cost of Pakistan's territorial integrity. It was ultimately wound up after General Zia-ul Haq overthrew Bhutto in 1977.

A total of 52 people were arrested. Those arrested from the National Awami Party leadership included Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Khan Amirzadah Khan, Syed Muhammad Kaswar Gardezi, Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo, Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, Mir Gul Khan Nasir, Sardar Ataullah Mengal, Habib Jalib, Barrister Azizullah Shaikh, Aslam Baluch (Shaysani), Aslam Kurd, Saleem Kurd, Sher Mohammad Marri (General Sherof), Najam Sethi, Saleem Pervez, Majid Gichki, Mir Abdul Wahid Kurd (read article) and Karnel Sultan Mengal. In addition, several members of the Muslim League and even prominent critics of Bhutto within his own Pakistan Peoples Party were also arrested.[1]

  1. ^ Richter, William L. (1978), "Persistent Praetorianism: Pakistan's Third Military Regime", Pacific Affairs, 51 (3), Honolulu HI USA: Institute of Pacific Relations: 406–426, doi:10.2307/2757938, JSTOR 2757938