Plea, seeking change in names of Zardari's children, rejected

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday rejected a plea seeking change in the names of children of former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Justice Miangul Hassan Auranzeb rejected the plea after hearing preliminary arguments in the case moved by Rais Abdul Wahid Advocate in person.

The petitioner argued that after the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari changed the names of Bilawal Zardari, Asifa Zardari and Bakhtawar Zardari while adding Bhutto to their names.

He pleaded that Bhutto was not a name of a person but a tribe and no one could change his family name, Asif Ali Zardari made mockery of tribes and requested the bench to direct National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to remove Bhutto from the names of Zardari's children.

The bench asked the counsel that if there was any authority or law to support his stance then submit it, otherwise how could court restrain someone from changing the name.

However, the petitioner failed to establish his case and the bench subsequently rejected it.