ISI’s political role must not be overlooked: Nisar

If SC can reopen 23-year-old case, why can’t it examine ISI’s current and Musharraf-era role, says Chaudhry Nisar.

ISLAMABAD:

As reports came in about the Supreme Court’s decision to take up a controversial decade-old case regarding the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) role in politics, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) asked the court on Tuesday to not overlook the agency’s role in the present, as well as during former president Pervez Musharraf’s regime.

The request was made through an official statement released by Opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s office.

“It would be a mockery of justice if the matter is not looked into by the court,” said Nisar, in what appeared to be a thinly veiled reference to the much talked about emergence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

Earlier, Nisar claimed that he had evidence to substantiate his allegations that agencies were using parties like the PTI to undermine the PML-N.

The SC may take up, within the next month, the pending petition of Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan wherein he had requested the court to look into allegations that the ISI had financed several politicians in the 1990 elections in order to create the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) and stop Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) from winning.

Lt-Gen Asad Durrani, the former director general of ISI, submitted an affidavit in court and gave details of the amount he had authorised to be paid to politicians – most prominent on the list was the PML-N chief himself, Nawaz Sharif.

“If the Supreme Court can reopen a 23-year-old case then why can’t it investigate the role played by the agency during Musharraf’s rule and at present?” Nisar asked in the statement.

The opposition leader also took the opportunity to lash out at PTI chief Imran Khan, saying he had no role in the restoration of the incumbent judiciary.

“Imran Khan used to visit foreign countries at the time when the movement for the reinstatement of sacked judges was at its peak, and disappeared on the eve of the long march,” he alleged.

While commenting on the recent formation of a group called Pakistan First, Nisar said the ‘remnants’ of Musharraf should apologise to the nation for their deeds instead of issuing sermons on democracy. It is ironic that those who used to support the former military dictator are now talking about democracy, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2012.