Tape scandal to be made public in return to 90s politics

In what seemed to be a step to revive the politics of the 90s and muddle political issues at the judicial front, the government on Sunday decided to collect details of the “tape scandal” and make it public.
The government has decided to bring up the scandal, involving PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, at a critical juncture when the Supreme Court (SC) has taken up the memo issue on a petition filed by Nawaz. Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday said the government would make the details of the “tape scandal” public. Talking to media persons after visiting the First International Target and Outdoor Shooting Sports (TOSS) Show at Pak-China Friendship Centre, he said he had directed the Secretary Interior to collect the details of the “tape scandal.” He said people had a right to know the truth. He said that during Nawaz Sharif’s regimes, Benazir Bhutto was awarded “double doze” (punishment) in fake cases. He said the government would expose the vested interests behind the “tape scandal” and produce solid proofs before the public.
The ‘tape-scandal’: During the Nawaz Sharif regime, the then law minister, Khalid Anwar allegedly called Justice Malik Qayyum who was hearing the trial of Benazir Bhutto and her spouse, Asif Ali Zardari in SGS Reference in the Accountability Court, and told that “Somebody is unhappy over the delay of hearing of this case. He has complained about the case to Saif that nothing has been done so far and why has it not been concluded.” He informed the judge that “the gentleman [Mian Nawas Sharif] was very unhappy” and asked the judge that “Now I am thinking if you could reach the final result within the outside limit of two weeks” and “So get it done on Monday”. In response, Justice Malik Qayyum informed the Minister that “It is being done on Monday. After this we have to give them some time for defence evidence and then the matter will be closed.”
According to an Intelligence Bureau official, (A. Rahim, Deputy Director/IB) when the Benazir Bhutto trial hearing started in SGS Reference in the Accountability Court headed by Justice Qayyum, the then government ordered the Intelligence Sub-Bureau Lahore to monitor all the office, home and mobile telephones of Justice Qayyum to keep him under constant observation. When he began bugging Qayyum’s telephone, he came to discover what he termed “the sheer abuse of power/abuse of judiciary” and through informed the then President on 29-01-2001 about the story. He also submitted copies of the transcript of the conversation between Saif-ur-Rehman, head of the accountability bureau during Nawaz regime and other government functionaries and Justice Malik Abdul Qayyum and 65 Minutes recorded tape to the authorities concerned. Malik Qayyum was embroiled in middle of controversy when, as Attorney General of Pakistan, he wrote a letter to the Swiss authorities to close cases against President Zardari. ‘SMS-mongers to be taken to task:’ Malik also said the government would take stern action against the people, who were creating panic among the masses by spreading rumours through Short Messaging Service (SMS).