Supreme Court seeks notification of ISI’s political wing
Thursday, May 17th, 2012 2:33:38 by Faisal Farooq
Hearing Air Marshal (Retd) Asghar Khan’s petition, the Supreme Court of Pakistan sought a notification pertaining to the foundation of a political wing of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s regime.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, issued the directives during a hearing of the petition filed by Air Marshal Asghar Khan (retd) some 16 years ago against the distribution of millions of rupees by the ISI among the anti-PPP politicians to manipulate the 1990 elections.
The notification has been sought to determine the logic and reasoning behind the cell’s creation. The court, in the meantime, directed Governor State Bank Yasin Anwar to assist the bench in the case.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said that the government had failed to provide reports of the two commissions on the Habib Bank and the now defunct Mehran Bank despite many directives.
He stated that a case will be registered with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) if the Habib bank reports are not presented by May 19. The court asked former Mehran Bank president Younis Habib to provide bank reports on the transactions that took place in Habib bank in the 1990s.
Advocate Salman Akram Raja, the counsel for Asghar Khan informed the court that the government had not provided him with the commission’s report on Habib Bank. He observed, “I have also contacted Interior Minister Rehman Malik in this regard but was not provided with the requisite report”.
The bench also directed the Ministry of Defence to produce a statement on the claims made by former ISI chief Lieutenant General (retd) Assad Durrani.
In his counter statement, Durrani submitted that Beg, as army chief, was on board right from the beginning in the operation, involved both in the process of issuing instructions as well as overseeing the disbursements.
He, however, conceded the role of ISI and Military Intelligence (MI) in rigging the 1990 parliamentary elections.
Later, Secretary Law Yasmin Abbasi submitted the interim Habib Bank inquiry report before the court. Afterward, the petition’s hearing was adjourned to June 4.
Tags: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, COAS Mirza Aslam Baig, FIA, General Asad Durrani, Habib Bank, ISI, Mehran Bank, MI, Rehman Malik, Supreme Court, Zulfiqar Ali BhuttoShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=22558
Posted by Faisal Farooq
on May 17 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan.
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With regret I have to say its pointless in the SC opening up this case and other cases involving prominent politicians as nothing ever seems to come out of it! The courts spend ages on these cases wasting time and money at the end they give verdicts based on fear of what could happen to the system. The executive openly flaunts its judgements why should anyone else implement SC judgements! if the executive can’t lead by example by implementing court orders then it is wrong to expect the common man to implement! Either that or provide equal justice to all!
@ AG hats off your golden words of morality are well said.
If what ever Assad Durrani said is Correct, the senior Gen and others in the Army and ISI brushed aside conveniently the oft repeated Norm in the British Army ( and British Indian Army) from where both Indian and Pakisthan Armies have roots. That is ” There are two types of Commands. The Lawful and unlawful commands. The unlawful you should not obey even if it comes from the highest Rungs”.