Asghar Khan case: Secretary Presidency denies existence of political cell

Asif Hayat says case is very old, Presidency will submit reply after records are found.

ISLAMABAD: Secretary President House Asif Hayat told the Supreme Court on Monday that he was not aware of any political cell working in the Presidency, reported Express News. The court was hearing the Asghar Khan petition.

Hayat said that the case was very old and the Presidency will submit a reply to the Supreme Court after records are found.

The apex court maintained that the distribution of money among politicians was an act of some individuals and the entire Army institution should not be made a part of it.

Justice Jawwad S Khawaja observed that the function to exercise control was vested with the legislature and the court’s duty was the enforcement of fundamental rights of which the democratic set up was a vital element.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heading a three-member bench referred to the role of former president and remarked that being a supreme commander of the armed forces, he was not required to lend support to one particular political clout.

Raja contended that the action was also violation of Article 17 regarding political process and said that he had also sought the federation and election commission to have played their parts for pursuing the cases.

Roedad Khan – who along with Ijlal Haider Zaidi headed the presidency’s political cell during Ghulam Ishaq Khan’s tenure – told the court that he was not aware of money being distributed among politicians.

The court ordered the Presidency to submit records of the political cell on Wednesday, and adjourned the hearing till tomorrow.