Crafting a response: Intelligence Bureau chief seeks legal input in secret funds case

Gorchani prepares bureau’s reply which it will present before apex court on January 2.

ISLAMABAD:

Intelligence Bureau (IB) Director General (DG) Sardar Akhtar Hassan Gorchani is consulting various legal experts to craft the government’s response to the Supreme Court in relation to the secret funds case.

Officials familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune on Thursday that Gorchani held several emergency meetings with top legal eagles of the government in order to prepare the bureau’s response, which it will present before the apex court on January 2.

The incumbent Pakistan Peoples Party government allegedly withdrew Rs270 million from the secret fund of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for pushing its political agenda in Punjab. IB, in the past, has profusely denied any misappropriation of funds from its side.

The IB chief met Attorney General Irfan Qadir at his office on Thursday to discuss issues related to the withdrawal of the secret fund.

“Yes, the IB chief called me today [December 27] but I cannot share the details of this meeting,” said Qadir.

Gorchani has to submit a reply to the Supreme Court on January 2 arguing whether an amount was ever drawn by IB as secret fund and thereby spent within a year.



“It has become a litmus test for the DG to justify the government’s stance before the apex court,” a senior official observed.

The official explained that this preparation is under way because Gorchani is likely to take charge as the new inspector general police Sindh.  “Hence, Gorchani wants to streamline things on his end as soon as possible,” the official said, adding, “names of two senior officers, Iqbal Mehmood and Additional Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department Shabbir, are under consideration for the new DG IB.”

“Gorchani also met various legal officers of the Law Ministry to find a solution to the issue,” an official said on condition of anonymity, adding “IB, Additional Director (Legal), Navida Noor is assisting him.”

Official sources say that IB also dispatched a sealed letter through Navida Noor to the apex court, which claimed that the government had no intention of toppling the Punjab government through the funds.

National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) General Manager Tariq Lodhi also sent a letter to Supreme Court Registrar, stating that allegations of toppling Punjab government were incorrect, an official said. Lodhi was serving as DG IB when the amount was allegedly withdrawn.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2012.