A former head of the Intelligence Bureau on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the forces behind the no-confidence vote against the elected government of Benazir Bhutto in 1989 were not political.
Submitting a detailed reply in the secret funds case, former IB chief Masood Sharif Khattak said that late President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and former Chief of the Army Staff Gen Mirza Aslam Baig wanted to keep late Benazir Bhutto out of power through their pre-polls efforts in the 1988 elections, which started with the formation of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).
He said that being head of the IB, it was his duty to keep a watch over all such activities that were aimed at destabilising the then constitutionally elected government. He maintained that they knew about such a move ahead of its tabling in the parliament.
“I must say here in very unambiguous terms, that even if any government of Pakistan when placed under extreme unconstitutional pressures, does spend any funds to ward off unconstitutional steps aimed at dismantling that government there would be nothing illegal about,” he said.
He said that he was on the right side of the Constitution against extra-constitutional efforts and had to suffer extensively for that reason. Refuting claims made by Asad Kharal, a reporter of a local English daily, Khattak said that he had denied the aspersions that the amounts during his period as IB chief were distributed right, left and center with ulterior motives. He said that he had appeared before the Lahore High Court during February 1992 and maintained that those funds were indeed spent towards furthering national interest.
During the hearing, former DG IB Tariq Lodhi admitted that the amount was withdrawn from the IB’s accounts during his tenure. The court sought a detailed reply from him within two days, and directed the SC registrar to seek the Lahore High Court’s decision on a reference filed by former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan in connection with the disqualification of Benazir Bhutto in 1992, and present it before the apex court. Lodhi filed a brief but sealed reply in the court, while Masood Sharif filed a detailed reply. However, the incumbent DGIB filed a questionnaire containing three legal points in the court rather than furnishing a reply.
The court said the questionnaire would be seen later and he should first file the reply, which has sought by the court.
The court asked Masood Sharif if he wanted to keep his reply secret. Masood Sharif said the contents of his reply had already appeared before the LHC, therefore, it would be futile to keep it secret. “I have already filed all the details with the Lahore High Court when former president Ghulam Ishaq Khan had filed a reference seeking the disqualification of Benazir Bhutto’s government,” he stated.
The court directed him to provide his documents to the SC registrar, and the matter related to him would be reviewed in chambers. Attorney General (AG) Irfan Qadir appeared in the court on behalf of the incumbent DGIB and told the court that he had sent three legal points in the form of questions, asking the court to decide about them first.
