Name names, SC orders IB

A three-member Supreme Court (SC) bench on Monday directed the attorney general to submit details pertaining to the utilization of Rs 270 million, allegedly withdrawn by the Pakistan People’s Party government from the Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) secret fund to topple the Punjab government of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The court directed Attorney General Irfan Qadir to inform it after consulting the IB director general (DG) the names of the politicians who were given the amount, besides mentioning the exact amount for toppling the Punjab government. The court ruled that such details would be kept confidential.
The bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez was hearing a petition filed by Air Martial (r) Asghar Khan some 16 years ago against distribution of million of rupees of public money by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) among anti-PPP politicians to manipulate the 1990s election.
The amount was allegedly disbursed by then army chief General Mirza Aslam Baig, then ISI DG Lt Gen Asad Durrani and defunct Mehran Bank’s chief Younas Habib to maneuver the general elections.
During the hearing, the court expressed apprehensions over the loss of inquiry reports pertaining to Mehran Bank and Habib Bank. The attorney general told the court that despite serious efforts, such reports could not be found. The court then directed him to call the interior secretary to his office and get details of the loss of Mehran Bank and Habib Bank Inquiry Commission reports, besides registering cases against the persons involved in losing the reports.
Expressing its annoyance over the loss of reports, the court observed that these reports were necessary for the decision of the case. The court also sought a report from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman about the case earlier registered against Younis Habib.
During the hearing, the attorney general requested the court to summon then law secretary and presently the apex court judge Justice Mian Saqib Nisar. The chief justice, however, rejected his request saying that Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was presently the apex court’s judge hence he could not be summoned.
Counsel for the respondent Mirza Aslam Beg submitted before the court that Younis Habib, chief of defunct Mehran Bank, was now owner of a building worth billions of rupees and two thousand acres of land.
He contended that Habib had made such properties by withdrawing money from the bank through irrelevant documents. The counsel further informed the court that on the basis of this, a case was registered against Habib. The court also sought record of the case.
Dr Khalid Ranjha, counsel for Lt Gen (r) Asad Durrani submitted that his client had some secret documents and he wanted to present it in-camera. The chief justice, however, said that the Interior ministry was responsible for keeping the investigative reports in safe custody. Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing until April 25 after the attorney general sought time for getting information about the loss of Mehran Bank and Habib Bank Inquiry Commission Reports.