Baghial
SENIOR MEMBER
- Feb 17, 2017
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ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday requested the Supreme Court to close the Asghar Khan case related to alleged distribution of money among politicians, including former premier Nawaz Sharif, to defeat the PPP in the 1990 general elections.
FIA submitted a report to the top court, stating that it has found no evidence enough to initiate proceedings against those named in the case. The politicians who were accused of receiving money denied doing so in their statements, it added.
The report said witnesses have also recorded contradictory statements in the 25-year-old matter. Besides, there was no record of transactions made through banks, it added.
In his reply, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif had earlier categorically stated that he never received Rs3.5 million from the former chief of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) for campaign for the 1990 elections.
He denied that he had received Rs3.5 million or Rs2.5 million from ISI director general Lt Gen Asad Durrani or the then owner of now defunct Mehran Bank Younis Habib.
Mr. Sharif stated that he had already recorded his statement in this case on Oct 14, 2015.
Earlier, the apex court had issued notices to 21 individuals, including the PML-N supreme leader, and former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg, to come up with their response in the case.
Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan wrote a letter to the then chief justice of Pakistan Nasim Hassan Shah in 1996, in which he alleged that the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, then army chief General Mirza Aslam Beg, then ISI director general Lt Gen Asad Durrani as well as then owner of now defunct Mehran Bank Younis Habib had distributed Rs 140 million among several politicians to manipulate the 1990 polls to defeat Benazir Bhutto.
After the passage of more than a decade following the matter having brought to the apex court, it gave a 141-page landmark verdict on October 19, 2012 declaring that 1990 elections were rigged.
It ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the matter and if evidence was found against anyone, action should be taken against them.
The court held that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the 1990 election was rigged and that a political cell maintained by the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan at Presidency supported formation of the IJI to stop a victory of the PPP.
It found Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Baig and Durrani guilty of violating the constitution......
The Asghar Khan case has been pending for many years and it is uncertain that the prosecution will be able to present a good case to the court. In the short order of the case for 2012 the Chief Justice extensively mentioned the role of Armed Forces but avoided naming any politician who benefitted from the so called ‘election cell’. It seemed that the Supreme Court practically convicted them but fell short of making it official. Clarity would have amounted to accusations of treason and political chaos. Many lacunas were left unresolved, as if the court was in a hurry to get rid of the case. Another three years on, it seems too little too late to convict anyone, unless there is new vigour in the Supreme Court to finally settle the matter. The FIA’s investigation has been slower than a tortoise. The whole case is not some fantasy made up by the opposition. Everything is in black and white- who received how much money. But what about the recipients? Aren’t they accessories in the crime? What happens then to their eligibility to contest elections? The FIA has to get serious??????????????
IF FIA CANT PROVE THIS CASE............... THEN THIS FILTHY MAFIA INSTUTION SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.....
