Aslam Beg denies ordering payment

Durrani insists army high command was in loop, according to FIA report

ISLAMABAD: A report compiled by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) identified several contradictions in statements of former army chief Aslam Beg and DG ISI Asad Durrani about distributing huge sums of money among politicians in the 1990 elections.

The report, presented in the apex court, stated that Gen Beg flatly denied forwarding any instructions from either the presidency or GHQ and said that General Durrani was in direct contact with the presidency.



Although Durrani admitted distributing the money, he said that he was following orders from the president’s election cell (Jalal Haider Zaidi & Roedad Khan) and the army high command (the COAS) was on board.

Similarly, Durrani had stated that Lt Col Eqbal Saeed and Lt Col Salman Butt were responsible for disbursing the money in Punjab. In response to the handwritten notes about disbursement provided by Brig Hamid Saeed Akhtar, he remarked that as the DG ISI he must have transmitted them onwards to the MI HQ (the GHQ) as the operation was being handled by the MI of which he was the head prior to the elections.

Brig Hamid Saeed Akhtar provided a similar handwritten note about the distribution of money in Sindh, insisting that Durrani had provided the money.



The report stated that the military officer, Eqbal Saeed, was responsible for distributing the money in Punjab as per second supplementary statement submitted by Asad Durrani. He is currently settled in the US.

Now, the defence ministry has asked the authorities concerned to share his whereabouts and a response is still awaited.

It is also submitted that when the FIA committee contacted another retired military officer Salman Butt on mobile phone that he would be interviewed in this matter.

“He said that FIA has got the wrong number and hung up his phone” FIA’s report stated.

The defence ministry had also been contacted to share his whereabouts and a response was still awaited.

Likewise, the defence ministry has also been requested to share the whereabouts of Lt Col Mir Akhtar Khan.

FIA’s report stated that Yousaf Memon advocate had alleged that money was paid to veteran politician Javed Hashmi after the 1990 elections.

As many as 12 politicians, who had allegedly taken money, were dead.

Citing an interview given by senior politician Abida Hussain aired on November 28, 2012, the report said that she admitted getting the money. But when FIA contacted her, she denied the allegations.

On Wednesday, the apex court directed the defence ministry to provide relevant information about five retired military officers – Brig (retd) Amanullah Khan, Eqbal Saeed, Ejaz, Akbar Ali Khan and Salman Butt – to FIA.

During the hearing, the court warned that military authorities would be summoned if there was no progress in the matter.

The cabinet had recommended taking action against former army chief Aslam Beg and spymaster Asad Durrani.

“Nobody is immune from appearing before the court”, says Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, who headed the three-judge bench that resumed the hearing of the Asghar Khan case after a gap of two months.

On June 9, the defence ministry had submitted a report, stating that the cabinet had decided that the interior division would send the matter to the military authorities for appropriate action against all retired military persons involved in this case.

“The cabinet’s decision dated May 31 shall be complied with for which due process under the Pakistan Army Act and relevant regulations shall be followed in light of the Supreme Court’s October 12 verdict. Prior to the trial of the retired military officers said to be involved in the case, necessary requirements – a court of inquiry/summary/abstract of evidence – will be completed as per military rules/regulations wherein all individuals (witnesses/accomplices) may be required to be examined accordingly,” the report stated.

When the CJP inquired if the military authorities had taken any action in line with the federal cabinet’s recommendations against Beg and Durrani, a representative of the defence ministry requested the bench for more time for compliance, stating that requisite record of witnesses was being sought from the interior ministry.

In response, the chief justice wondered why there was no progress even after two months, saying that if the defence ministry could not submit a reply, the court might call up relevant military authorities.

The court also observed that the court’s findings in the 2012 judgment were final as a review petition had been rejected.

However, the defence ministry official sought more time to file progress report in the matter.

Subsequently, the apex court granted four more weeks to the defence ministry to submit a progress report.

DG FIA Bashir Memon also sought more time for investigating politicians, including former PMs Nawaz Sharif and Zafarullah Jamali among others.

Memon said Jamali denied receiving any money. He said that the former prime minister had told the FIA that he would record his statement after elections.

The agency was yet to obtain record from the defence ministry in this matter, said Memon.

Justice Nisar said the matter should not be further prolonged.

The bench also directed the defence ministry and GHQ to share all relevant record with the FIA and adjourned the hearing for four weeks.