Nawaz Sharif, Asad Durrani among 21 issued notices in Asghar Khan case

FIA to continue investigation in the case, AG informs Supreme Court

LAHORE: The Supreme Court issued on Saturday notices to 21 politicians and military officials, including deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt-Gen (retd) Asad Durrani in Asghar Khan case.

Notices will also be served to the director generals of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

During today’s hearing, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar at the apex court’s Lahore Registry, the court was informed that the FIA will continue its investigation in the case.

Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf, presenting a cabinet meeting report, further said the cabinet has decided to implement the apex court's order and said the report has been sealed on his order.



The top court later adjourned the hearing till June 6.

During the last hearing, Justice Nisar had expressed his displeasure over the government’s failure to call for a cabinet meeting to discuss the developments in the Asghar Khan case.

Earlier, the apex court had also rejected a review petition by former army chief Gen (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg and Asad Durrani against its 2012 verdict in the case. The apex court has also sought a reply from the federal government regarding implementation of its 2012 verdict.

The case

On June 16, 1996, Asghar Khan wrote to former CJP Sajjad Ali Shah a letter, which contained names of politicians who had allegedly received money from the ISI ahead of the 1990 polls. The fund was provided by Younas Habib, the chief executive officer of Habib Bank Limited (HBL), then a government bank.

According to the letter, Nawaz Sharif had allegedly received Rs3.5 million; Mir Afzal Khan Rs10 million; Lt General Rafaqat Rs5.6 million [for distributing among journalists]; Abida Hussain Rs1 million, Jamaat-e-Islami Rs5 million and senior journalist Altaf Hussain Qureshi Rs500,000.



In Sindh, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi received Rs5 million, Jam Sadiq got Rs5 million, Mohammad Khan Junejo Rs250,000, Pir Pagara, Rs2 million, Maulana Salahuddin Rs300,000 and other small groups in Sindh got Rs5.4 million. In Balochistan, Humayun Marri received Rs1.5 million. The letter also contained the names of Bizenjo and Kakar tribes.

The SC in its verdict had said former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, army chief Beg, and the ISI chief Durrani, acted in violation of the Constitution by facilitating a group of politicians and political parties, to ensure their success against rival candidates in the general election of 1990.