ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to certain personalities and respondents in a 1996 plea moved by Air Marshal retired Asghar Khan, regarding alleged disbursement of money among the anti-PPP politicians by former Army Chief General Aslam Beg, ex-director general ISI Lt. Gen. Asad Durrani and former Mehran Bank chief Younis Habib to disrupt the general elections.
A three-member bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez issued notices after conducting initial re-hearing of the case.
The notices were served upon former ISI chief Asad Durrani, secretary ministry of defence, Advocate on Record Abdul Ghafoor who represented the ministry at that time and Younus Habib, former chief of Mehran Bank for March 8.
The bench also directed its Registrar office to made available statements of Aslam Baig, Asad Durrani and Naseerullah Babar former interior minister, which were recorded in chamber at that time.
The office was asked to place these documents before them in sealed form while it also sought order sheet of 1998 regarding a sealed cover report about working of ISI.
The bench observed that earlier notice was issued to former DG ISI Asad Durrani but the office informed that it had returned unserved.
It said that although notices were not issued to Younus Habib, but it considered it appropriate after going through the record that notice be issued to him for hearing.
The bench also directed the petitioner to procure addresses of the respondents and provide it within three days.
At the outset of proceedings, Salman Akram Raja to bench's query replied that dishing out public money to politicians was aimed at interference in the democratic system while it was right of every citizen of Pakistan to have fair and free elections.
He read out portions of affidavit filed by Asad Durrani before the apex Court and the statement of Naseerullah Babar, the then interior minister which was made in the National Assembly.
The Chief Justice observed that presence of Asad Durrani would be necessary in the Court as he had filed an affidavit.
He observed that the affidavit was submitted by not an ordinary man but Asad Durrani, who had his own stature.
The Chief Justice told the counsel that they had to decide the cases in accordance with law and not on emotional basis.
He further observed that the Court would also go through the confessional statement recorded by the FIA.
Attorney General for Pakistan Molvi Anwarul Haq to bench's question replied that the ministry of defence had not contacted him as it was not made a party in the case.
Further hearing was re-listed till March 8.
According to petition moved by Asghar Khan, Asad Durrani in his affidavit, submitted before the apex court during initial hearing by the Supreme Court, the former DG ISI had admitted to have disbursed money to Mian Nawaz Sharif (Rs3.5 million), Lt General Rafaqat who was head of President Ghulam Ishaq Khan's election cell (Rs5.6 million), late Mir Afzal Khan (Rs10 million), late ex-PM Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi (Rs5 million), late Jam Sadiq Ali (Rs5 million), late ex-PM Mohammed Khan Junejo (Rs2.5 million), late Pir Pagaro (Rs2 million), ex-Governor Sindh Yusuf Haroon (Rs5 million), Jamaat-e-Islami (Rs5 million), journalists Altaf Hussain Qureshi and Mustafa Sadiq (Rs0.5 million); Arbab Ghulam Aftab (Rs0.3 million); Liaquat Baloch (Rs1.5 million) and others.
However, most of these individuals and political parties have, however, denied receiving any money from the ISI.
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