The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the ministries of defense and interior to submit their replies over existence of any political cell in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) while hearing a petition filed by Tehreek-i-Istiqlal Chief Air Martial (r) Asghar Khan, pertaining to the distribution of money among politicians by the ISI. A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, has been hearing the 1996 petition filed by Khan who accused the ISI of financing politicians in the 1990 elections by dishing out Rs140 million to create the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) and prevent Benazir Bhutto’s PPP from winning the polls.
The petition was based on an affidavit of former ISI chief Lt Gen (r) Asad Durrani. During the hearing, Attorney General Irfan Qadir informed the bench that the notification enabling the formation of the ISI’s political cell was not available. The chief justice remarked that it appeared that there were mere speculations about the existence of the cell. Khan’s counsel Salman Akram Raja failed to appear for the hearing, Raja’s Advocate-on-Record informed the court. Responding to which, Chief Justice Iftikhar remarked that the case was significant and its hearings were crucial. However, due to the counsel’s absence on account of ill health, the hearing was being adjourned. The hearing was subsequently adjourned to October 3.
