SC sets Aug 15 for hearing of Asghar Khan case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Saturday fixed the Asghar Khan case for hearing on August 15.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar will hear the case on Wednesday.

The top court issued intimation notices to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, former ISI DG Lieutenant General Asad Durrani and other respondents, informing them about the scheduled hearing.

During the previous hearing, the chief justice had made it clear that no further delay will be tolerated in the implementation of the October 19, 2012 verdict in the Asghar Khan case.

He directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to wind up a probe into the case without wasting even a minute’s time.

– Background – 

Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan wrote a letter to the then chief justice of Pakistan Nasim Hassan Shah in 1996, in which he alleged that the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, then army chief General Mirza Aslam Baig, then ISI director general Lt Gen Asad Durrani as well as then owner of now defunct Mehran Bank Younis Habib had distributed Rs 140 million among several politicians to manipulate the 1990 polls to defeat Benazir Bhutto.

After the passage of more than a decade following the matter having brought to the apex court, it gave a 141-page landmark verdict on October 19, 2012 declaring that 1990 elections were rigged.

It ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the matter and if evidence was found against anyone, action should be taken against them.

The court held that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the 1990 election was rigged and that a political cell maintained by the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan at Presidency supported formation of the IJI to stop a victory of the PPP.

It found Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Baig and Durrani guilty of violating the constitution.