Ex Pak army chief opposes judicial commission probe of secret funds

Islamabad, Apr 23(ANI): Former Pakistan army chief General (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg has opposed the idea of forming a judicial commission to probe the distribution of secret funds to politicians and accused former Mehran Bank head Younus Habib of prolonging the matter by forming the commission.

General (retired) Beg told the Supreme Court that Habib was accountable to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and added he had to pay 115 crore rupees to theNAB.

Pakistan Attorney General Irfan Qadir informed the apex court that inquiry reports from Mehran Bank and the Habib Bank are misplaced.

The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was hearing the petition filed by former airforce chief Asghar Khan. The bench expressed concern over the misplaced reports and directed Qadir to convene a meeting with the responsible figureheads in this regard, the Dawn reports.

Asghar Khan had filed the petition in 1996 and accused the Inter Service Intelligence of financing several politicians during the 1990 elections to create the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).

The ISI allegedly dished out 140 million rupees for the purpose. The petition was based on the affidavit of former ISI chief Asad Durrani.

The Supreme Court has now adjourned the hearing of the petition filed by Asghar Khan till April 25. (ANI)