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Friday March 29, 2024

Asghar Khan case: FIA wants case shut

By Sohail Khan
December 30, 2018

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has recommended the Supreme Court to close the 25 years old case filed by late Air Marshal Asghar Khan regarding distribution of Rs140 million among several politicians for ensuring defeat of late Benazir Bhutto in the 1990 general elections.

In its report submitted before the Supreme Court on Saturday, the FIA stated that due to lack of sufficient and solid evidence, the investigation in the matter could not continue. Similarly, it also contended that there are contradictions in the statements recorded by the witnesses. The FIA further submitted that as the matter is 25-year old hence no record of bank transactions could be found, adding that politicians who were accused of taking money have also denied the allegations.

In 1996, Asghar Khan had moved the Supreme Court, alleging that the two senior Army officers and the then-president Ghulam Ishaq Khan had doled out Rs140 million to several politicians ahead of the 1990 polls to ensure Benazir Bhutto’s defeat in the polls. On October 19, 2012, the apex court had issued a 141-page verdict, ordering legal proceedings against General (R) Aslam Beg and Lieutenant General (R) Asad Durrani.

The 2012, the apex court judgment, authored by then chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry, had ruled that the 1990 general elections had been polluted by dishing out Rs140 million to a particular group of politicians only to deprive the people of being represented by their chosen representatives.

The court had directed the FIA to initiate a transparent investigation and subsequent trial if sufficient evidence is found against the former army officers. That investigation however, is yet to conclude

The Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), consisting of nine parties including the Pakistan Muslim League, National People’s Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, had won the 1990 elections, with Nawaz Sharif being elected prime minister. The alliance had been formed to oppose the Benazir Bhutto-led Pakistan People’s Party.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Ijazul Ahsen is taking up the case of Asghar Khan tomorrow (Monday).

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court issued an interim order on the mega money laundering and fake bank accounts case, Geo News reported.

In its interim order, the apex court ordered that all records pertaining to fake bank accounts be seized and presented before it. The top court also directed to freeze all fake bank accounts which have been identified in the JIT report. The court further ordered the monitoring of all transactions made from the accounts.

As per the interim order, a ban has been imposed on the direct and indirect sale or purchase of all buildings and properties mentioned in the JIT report.

The SC will hear the money laundering and fake bank accounts case tomorrow (Monday).

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar will hear the case. Notices have been sent to the attorney general and all respondents in this regard. The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur. Asif Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe.

The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani were arrested by the FIA in August. Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.

A banking court on Friday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Zardari and his Faryal Talpur till January 7 in the ongoing money laundering case. Earlier, the JIT recommended a legal course against some 415 key individuals and around 172 entities allegedly involved in transactions of approximately Rs220 billion through 104 fake accounts.