Former chief of army staff (COAS) General (r) Mirza Aslam Beg on Wednesday said in the Supreme Court that he was not involved in the alleged disbursement of millions of rupees among anti-Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) politicians to manipulate the 1990 general elections.
Submitting his reply in compliance with the court’s order of April 25 in Asghar Khan case, the former army chief said he had already elaborately submitted in his concise statement that the amount was not placed in the army’s account, rather it was placed in the account of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the relevant person having the knowledge of the accounts would be Lt General (r) Asad Durrani being the director general at that time or any other person, who he (Asad Durrani) might have directed.
“In fact the accounts were maintained by the ISI and I only instructed ISI DG Lt Gen Asad Durrani to maintain accounts,” Beg said in his reply.
He said no misappropriation was ever reported or came to his knowledge, adding that the ISI was not under his command.
The former army chief contended that he had absolutely no involvement in the disbursement of donations ordered by former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan and that he merely possessed knowledge being the commander of armed forces.