CJP lambasts federal govt for snail-paced progress on Asghar Khan case verdict

Author: Web Desk

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Thursday criticized federal government for its snail-paced progress in Asghar Khan (2012) case.

CJP Nisar heading a three-member bench heard the case at Supreme Court’s (SC) Lahore Registry.
The bench comprised of Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik and Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

CJP Nisar lambasted over the federal government for failing over finalization of an implementation plan in Asghar khan case verdict. Raged CJP Nisar criticized the government stating that this is a serious matter which the government is least concerned about.

During the last hearing Nisar had remarke that the court had announced its verdict and rejected review petitions of former Army Chief General Mirza Aslam Beg and former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) DG Lieutenant General Asad Durrani accused of illegally influencing 1990 elections.

CJP Nisar remarked that the government had done nothing and the implementation of the verdict still remains.

Earlier on May 8 the SC had given a one week deadline to the federal government to summon a cabinet meeting to determine what action can be taken on Asghar Khan case verdict.

During the hearing the Attorney General (AG) had sought more time from the court to summon a federal cabinet meeting. CJP Nisar had directed that a federal cabinet meeting should be called on the same day so that a decision could be reached, so that the court may act accordingly.

Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had informed the court that the case inquiry was underway.

In 1996, Air Marshal Khan had filed a human rights petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, accusing the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency of doling out money to a group of politicians in the 1990s.

The case was initiated by the air marshal after Benazir Bhutto’s interior minister Naseerullah Babar, a retired general, had disclosed in the National Assembly in 1994 how the ISI had disbursed funds to purchase the loyalty of politicians and public figures so as to manipulate the 1990 elections, form the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), and bring about the defeat of the PPP.