IB chief told to explain ‘funds for Punjab coup’

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) director general to file his written statement in a sealed envelope on April 23 mentioning the utilization of Rs 270 million withdrawn by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government from IB’s secret fund allegedly to influence loyalties of the members of the Punjab Assembly in 2009 to topple the provincial government.
A three-member bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez, was hearing a petition filed by Air Marshal (r) Asghar Khan some 16 years ago against the distribution of millions of rupees public money by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) among the anti-PPP politicians to manipulate the 1990 election. The amount was allegedly disbursed by then army chief General Mirza Aslam Baig, then director general of ISI Lt Gen Asad Durrani and defunct Mehran Bank’s chief Younas Habib to disrupt the general elections.
The court directed Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to produce ‘Mehran Bank Inquiry Commission Report’ on next hearing, and court asked the counsels for Asad Durrani and Younas Habib to submit their replies by April 23. At the onset of hearing, when attorney told the court that he could not get ‘Mehran Bank and Habib Bank Inquiry Commission Reports’ from the Law Ministry, the chief justice doubted if the report were intentionally being made unavailable, so as to hide some influential involved in the episode. The chief justice insisted the attorney general about IB’s stand over the withdrawal of Rs 270 billion from its secret fund to topple the Punjab government.
IB chief
During the hearing, a reporter of a local English daily and the editor of the newspaper, which published the news about the withdrawal of Rs 270 million from IB’s secret fund, also appeared on notice and informed the court that they stood by the news. The reporter told the court that after publication of the news item, the Interior Ministry issued an explanation saying that the IB did not fall under its’ ambit. However, he said the ministry did not contradict the release and utilization of the fund. The chief justice noted that 16 days had passed after publication of the news item, however, the IB did not contradict it, which he said prima facie indicated correctness of the news item. Meanwhile, the court asked the attorney general to call the IB chief to appear before the bench within half-an-hour and explain about utilization of Rs 270 million. The chief justice said that according to law, the IB chief was bound to assist the court. Appearing on notice, IB chief Aftab Sultan told the court that he had checked the record, however withdrawal of the amount could not be confirmed. He said release of any amount from the secret fund and purpose of its usage was not available in writing. The chief justice inquired from the IB chief about Tariq Lodhi, saying that the reporter had claimed Lodhi was his news source. Aftab Sultan then replied that Lodhi was in London nowadays. The IB chief stated that although no written record was maintained about the usage of secret funds, audit report about the release of Rs 270 million fund was made available to the PAC. The chief justice then directed him to provide such information to the court as well. To a court query, Aftab Sultan said such amounts were not provided through banks, cheques or drafts. He said such amounts were given in cash. To another query, he requested the court to grant him some time to inform it in-camera about all the information about the said amount.