Asghar case: ISI beneficiaries to get notices after evidence: CJ
23 June, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday said notices would be issued to the recipients of political funding by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) after receiving sufficient evidence. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by the chief justice, heard the Asghar Khan case against political funding by the ISI in the run-up to 1990 elections. Former chief of army staff Aslam Baig was also present in the courtroom. In the course of court's proceedings, ISI's former director general Mehmood Durrani told the Supreme Court that funds were distributed among politicians upon directives of Aiwan-e-Sadr cell head Ajlal Haidar Zaidi, and orders given by General Aslam Baig. Attorney General Irfan Qadir told the court that notification for establishing political wing in the ISI had not been found so far. "On questions raised in reports of Habib Bank and Mehran Bank commissions, it was accepted in the answers of Justice (r) Ilyas and Shahid Hamid that some actions were taken, but documents were sent to the Ministry of Law and Justice afterward," he stated. Ministry of Defence representative Commander Shahbaz told the Supreme Court that according to his knowledge, the notice for establishing the ISI's political wing was issued by the Cabinet Division. The court directed the Defence Ministry representative to obtain that notification from the ministry concerned and asked the attorney general to cooperate with the representative. The court also ordered the law secretary to search out all verified documents related to the Habib Bank scandal. The chief justice remarked, "If the notification of establishing the ISI's political wing was found, it would be ascertained easily which division had issued that notification." During the hearing, Asad Durrani presented documents containing record of Rs 270 million rupees funds distributed among politicians. Irfan Qadir told the court names of the politicians allegedly involved in obtaining the funds. The chief justice said that all the politicians were respectable for them and that the decision in the case could not be announced until the alleged people testified in the court. Durrani said he had prepared the document on the basis of his memory, adding that some other authorities could tell clearly about some of the names in the document. He also revealed that the money was distributed amongst the politicians on the orders of General Aslam Baig. According to Durrani, the total sum of money was Rs 140 million, out of which, Rs 60 million were disbursed and the remaining amount was deposited to the special fund. The attorney general presented a list of recipients of funds before the court. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif's name was also among the recipents. The chief justice remarked that the case would be heard in an open court, after which the verdict would be announced. The court then adjourned hearing until July 16. End.
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