Govt speeds up Asghar Khan case inquiry

LAHORE: The process of investigation into the Asghar Khan Case got fresh impetus as the incumbent government withdrew the pending review petition on April 8, 2015.
In view of the recent development, the already constituted team of the FIA under Director FIA Sindh (Karachi Zone) Shahid Hayat, besides Director FIA Punjab Dr Usman Anwar and Director (Technical) FIA Headquarters Sardar Zaheer as members, has been directed to rev the inquiry up.
The previous PPP Government had not ordered any investigation into the ISI money distribution scam despite the apex court’s orders. A part of the judgment, pertaining to the office of the President, was challenged by the former government through a review petition.
Sources in the FIA told The News the Interior Ministry had tasked the team with completing the investigation in Asghar Khan Case on priority basis. The sources also claimed the team would record statement of all political leaders irrespective of their present assignment.
It is learnt Shahid Hayat will record statements of all the politicians of Sindh, Dr Usman Anwar will record statements of politicians of Punjab and Sardar Zaheer of those belonging to Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa (KPK) and Islamabad.
So far, the inquiry team has recorded statements of many high profile figures, including former Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), former DG ISI and Air Marshal (Retd) Asghar Khan. The team has also cross-examined a former chief executive of now defunct Mehran Bank and other accused bankers.
It is pertinent to mention here the FIA inquiry team was set up after a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising the then Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, had passed a verdict in the Asghar Khan Case on October 19, 2012.
The Supreme Court had ruled `the 1990 polls were rigged and that action should be taken against former COAS General (Retd) Mirza Aslam Beg and former ISI chief Lt Gen (Retd) Asad Durrani for violating the Constitution by manipulating the 1990 elections.
The apex court had directed the federal government to take necessary action under the Constitution and the law against Gen (Retd) Aslam Beg and Lt-Gen (Retd) Asad Durrani for their role in facilitating a group of politicians and political parties to ensure their success against their rivals in the 1990 elections.
Similarly, the court had observed the legal proceeding be initiated against politicians, who had received donations to spend on election campaigns. `Therefore, transparent investigation on the criminal side shall be initiated by the FIA against all of them and if sufficient evidence is collected, they shall be sent up to face the trial, according to law’, the judgment says.
When contacted on Monday, Press Secretary of the Interior Ministry Danial Gillani that said Musaddiq Malik, being spokesman of the Ministry, was the authority to comment on the issue. Musaddiq did not respond to several text messages and repeated phone calls. DG FIA Akbar Khan Hoti did not respond to phone calls and text messages as well.