KHUDAYAR MOHLA

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the government to produce the copy of notification, which was issued during ZA Bhutto’s regime to create a political wing in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and also comprising Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez made this observation while hearing Asghar Khan’s petition. According to it, it would be better to understand the circumstances and mandate of the notification before making any comment or reaching any conclusion.

Lauding ZA Bhutto’s high calibre, the Chief Justice remarked that he not only did he provide the nation with a Constitution, but also made the defence of country strong by initiating the nuclear programme.

The bench also issued directives to Ministry of Defence to produce a statement on the claims made by former ISI chief Lieutenant General Assad Durrani (retd) regarding the involvement of the ISI and the MI in distribution of funds among political parties to manipulate the outcome of general election in 1990. The court appreciated Durrani’s statement “for exposing everything.”

The bench was apprised by the Attorney General for Pakistan that inquiry reports on Mehran Bank and Habib Bank scams had not been traced so far. Upon which, Salman Akram Raja, the counsel for the petitioner, suggested for the bench to approach signatory members of the commission for the authenticity of the report. However, the court summoned secretary law on a short notice. 

The federal secretary law, Yasmin Abbasi, told the bench that inquiry commissions’ reports on Mehran and Habib Banks were yet to be retrieved from the official record. The bench then issued directives to Governor State Bank of Pakistan to look into the matter and assist the court.

Regarding the commission’s report on HBL, she told the bench that the chairman inquiry commission former Justice Muhammad Illyas vide letter 22-04-97 sent an interim report. A copy of which was placed on record.

The bench noted that apparently there was no substance in the interim report, saying that the report contained the list of names of commission members and witnesses. Upon which, Abbasi informed the court that a final report was never submitted.

Addressing Salman Raja, Justice Jawad S. Khawaja observed: “Whether political cell still exists in ISI?” Slaman Raja said the AGP could respond to that question.

The bench asked President Habib Bank to provide a statement on transactions that took place in Habib Bank in the 1990s when money was withdrawn on the instructions of the then chief of defunct Mehran Bank and the then Zonal Chief of Habib Bank, Younas Habib, to be disbursed among many, including political parties.

Later, the hearing was adjourned till June 4.