Asghar Khan case: PML-N casts doubts over SC decision
22 October, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Sunday expressed doubts over the Supreme Court's decision to task the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) with carrying out investigations into the Asghar Khan case, demanding an independent commission be formed for the purpose.
Addressing a press conference at the Punjab House, the PML-N stalwart looked confused while speaking on this issue as first he called it "injustice" on part of the apex court to hand over the investigation to the FIA. However, later he backtracked when questioned by the media, saying he didn't mean what he said, and it could be a 'slip of tongue'.
An otherwise confident Nisar looked visibly shaken on the diatribe against his party leadership after verdict of the Supreme Court in the Asghar Khan case, saying only PML-N President Nawaz Sharif is being targeted in this issue. He, however declared that PML-N accepted the decision, but in the same breath called for an independent commission to probe the matter, as the FIA's record of probes had raised many questions as to how it would undertake impartial investigations into this case.
"We will not present before the FIA and would not be part of any investigation that would be carried out by this agency," Nisar said. He said his party was ready for any accountability, but there should be an open trial. He appealed to the Supreme Court not to allow anyone to use this judgement for achieving their political agenda.
He demanded accountability be held not only in this particular case, but in all such cases where public money had been used by secret agencies. He pointed out that Gen (r) Musharraf had admitted in his book that he created the PML-Q and also that funds had been used by the Intelligence Bureau against the PML-N government in Punjab.
He said a political cell was established in the ISI during the era of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, which was fully functional after 1985. It accelerated its activities during the tenure of Asad Durrani as the ISI chief and reached its peak when Lt Gen (r) Ahmed Shuja Pasha was the agency's head, he added.
Nisar also criticised Prime Minister Raja Pervez Asharf and advised him to first look at his track record before speaking on the issue. He said the Supreme Court verdict was historical that would clean the mess created by the agencies in national politics.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) General Secretary Senator Jahangir Badr has said that his party was fully satisfied and also appreciates the Supreme Court's (SC) short decision in the Asghar Khan case.
Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday, Badr termed the SC decision as historical, saying it would give a new direction to make things better.
Badr said that the PPP-led coalition government would not intervene in the court matter in the Asghar Khan case. However, he appealed to the court that it should not only uncover the names of responsible persons in its detailed decision but also order them to return with interest the actual amount they received as bribe. The PPP leader also asked the SC to impose fines on those who took money and ask them to compensate the direct victims of the (IJI) case.
Explaining the compensation for politicians who faced defeat due to manipulation in the 1990 elections, he said that these "defeated-cum-victimised politicians" of PPP should be declared winners along with some monetary compensation.
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