Asghar Khan case verdict: Rigging proof hard to come by, says Army veteran
The FIA would not find anything, in terms of documentation, to establish that two former generals – Gen (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg and Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani – had distributed millions of rupees among their political favourites to manipulate the general elections, Qadir said.
“The FIA would not get the record of the distributed money since such transactions are not recorded on official files – they are made on verbal directives,” he added.
Qadir, a former chief of Islamabad Policy Research Institute, believes ultimately nothing will happen to the former servicemen found guilty in the Supreme Court ruling on the Asghar Khan case and the politicians who received money.
“The blame game by politicians would die its natural death after some time,” he said, but quickly added that in the future, army generals would think twice before getting involved in such “adventures”.
The generals now know they can be brought to court for their wrongdoings, he said.
Court-martial ‘impossible’
Qadir said the army would fully abide by the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Asghar Khan petition, as well as any decision taken by the defence ministry while implementing the ruling against the two retired generals.
Their trial by a military court, however, is not possible, he added. “Firstly, the army would not be able to find any general to head the military tribunal to try Aslam Beg, if, at all, it decides to put Beg on trial,” Qadir said.
Meanwhile, another high-level military source, ruled out a court-martial of the former generals. The case appears similar to the National Logistic Cell (NLC) scam, but it’s not. Why? Because the army has tried retired generals in the NLC scam since they misappropriated public money. That was not the case in the rigging of 1990 elections, the source added.
Media reports, however, say that the money used to rig the 1990 elections was taken from a public sector bank.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2012.
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Sorry the word (righteous) used was incorrect. more suitable word could be 'right wing parties'. Well they must have received money and i am not denying that. my only point was that 1990 election was not rigged. if that be the case then every election is rigged as seat adjustment is common practice in our elections. recent re-allignment of small parties with bigger parties could also be termed as pre-poll rigging.
@zeb: Lol...." those election were contested intelligently by bringing righteous parties together to contest election from one platform "....you call those people who actually ganged up by taking money as " righteous " people....I can assure you, tell them to take oath on Quran to deny that they did not accept money as exposed....if these righteous people has an iota of fear from Allah`s wrath, they will not take oath.....or will accept it, which will then prove that they may have gone temporarily astray & in such case even Allah swt forgives...then you may declare them as righteous, until then NO....
this is a good decision as it will keep many away from the manipulations but the impression that 1990 elections were rigged is incorrect. those election were contested intelligently by bringing righteous parties together to contest election from one platform. so the net result was that IJI won. saying time and again that the elections were rigged may not be fair. Bravo CJ.
To do a court martial one needs evidence. Those who are interested in the court martial of the retired Generals should first of all find out ,whether the instructions to the retired Generals to distribute donations to politicians was lawful or otherwise.To ascertain that one has to find out the reasons for giving such an order by the former President, the supreme commander of armed forces.No evidence on both the issues was presented in the SC. There is also no evidence that the money was actually used to rig elections, for this we require statements from politicians who received the money. So, what is the purpose of the Ruling!
@asim:
Reply as under :
a) because if it did, it would have derailed the infant democracy in the making....& second, till today, no political parties have petitioned in SC on this issue
b) because they have the support of the govt : - When criminals like Rehman Malik & his friend Asghar Husain after being convicted was given a Presidential pardon... - when such criminals are either not put on ECL & even if they were on ECL, suddenly they are no where to be found inside the country & very conveniently left the country right under the nose of FIA & immigration.The most recent case is of RPPS.Although all those accused persons details have been forwarded to ministry of interior to be put on ECL but till today not yet done.It seem that u are not updated as to what is happening around in your country. - The court / judiciary is trying its best to make sure all follow rules & law of land, but there are a group of people who are paranoid / obsessed with the pro-active judiciary & are constantly bashing the judiciary / SC on actions taken, otherwise the law is not different.The govt has defied court orders on several occasions , so how do you think other influential people to act....they do same.
The recent case of CNG...so many criticised SC actions, although its orders were based on details submitted by Ogra...
If the govt is doing its assigned job, why any person / citizen will approach SC ? if the govt is not fulfilling its responsibility, this vacum will be fillled by another third force & in this instance - the present judiciary....
List item
but the elite & powerful politicians & influential people
@Anonymous: Yes ! read the ruling...it says to return with interest after proper investigation by the govt...
Are these generals not supposed to defend Pakistan rather than defending their colleagues. There are no proofs of establishments rigging 2008 election,yet army has full control of foreign policy and national security policy.This shows army needs no more rigging election when civilions are totaly obeying it's commands.
SC has failed to deliver on vital issues instead diverting attention a) Why no action taken against those involved in massive rigging of 2008 elections? b) Why convicted and criminals are ruling and holding public office? c) why the law is different for the ordinary citizens? These cases will take 16 years for decision.