- Abida Hussain says allegation contained in the affidavit of General (r) Asad Durrani ‘incorrect and denied’
- Rehman Malik, Younus Habib refuse to appear before FIA
ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister Abida Hussain on Monday denied receiving money from intelligence agencies for participating in Nawaz Sharif’s 1990 election campaign during a hearing of the Asghar Khan case.
The Supreme Court (SC) had notified all respondents in the case to submit their replies. Hussain’s one-page reply read, “The allegation contained in the affidavit of General (r) Asad Durrani is incorrect and denied. The answering respondent did not receive money as alleged.”
In 2009, after Durrani confirmed that payments had been made to at least one politician, Hussain publicly acknowledged that she had received the political bribe. General (r) Mirza Aslam Beg who was in charge at the time, said that the move had come to “discredit Nawaz”.
On June 9, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif denied the allegation of receiving millions from the Army to run his party’s election campaign in 1990, in a written statement that he submitted before the SC.
“Nawaz Sharif had never received an amount of Rs 3.5 million from Lt Gen (r) Asad Durrani ex- DG ISI and/or under his instructions from his representative as donation to spend on election campaign in general elections of 1990,” said the statement submitted by Sharif’s counsel Munawar Iqbal Duggal.
The statement further denied that the deposed prime minister, whose party was part of the coalition that had won the 1990 elections, was paid an amount of Rs3.5m and 2.5m by Younus Habib, the former chairman of a government-run bank.
“In this regard, Sharif has already got his statement recorded on 14.10.2015 before the Enquiry Committee constituted pursuant to registration of Enquiry No. 47/2013 in Special Investigation Unit (SIU) FIA HQ, Islamabad under FIA Investigation/Enquiry Rules, 2002 in compliance with the Hon’ble Court’s directions contained, inter alia, in para 102 (14) of the judgment in Asghar Khan case,” it said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Rehman Malik, Imtiaz Sheikh and Younus Habib refused to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency in relation to the case.
Reports said that the FIA had issued summons to Rehman Malik, Younus Habib, Imtiaz Sheikh, Advocate Yousaf Memon, Jam Mashooq, and Jam Haider Afaq for the appearance on Monday.
On Monday, only Memon, Mashooq and Afaq appeared before the FIA. Reports said that Rehman Malik told FIA officials on the phone that he is trying to save himself from the media, which is why he didn’t appear in the case.
Speaking to a private media outlet, Rehman Malik said that the FIA did not summon him but wrote a letter seeking guidance. He added that when the Asghar Khan case happened, he was FIA Additional DG and was ready to guide the FIA under the law.
Malik said that he received the FIA’s letter late and due to sickness, he couldn’t go for the hearing while Younus Habib in his written letter said that he didn’t appear as he is unwell.
PPP leader Imtiaz Sheikh also refused to appear before the FIA in the case, according to reports.
