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ISLAMABAD: The PPP government’s celebration on the verdict of the Asghar Khan case has turned out to be short-lived as the Supreme Court has opened a new Pandora’s Box by opening two different cases involving Rs1.26b.
The court summoned the DG Intelligence Bureau to explain the alleged misuse of Rs500 million secret funds for toppling the Punjab government in 2008. The apex court is also going to inquire about the use or misuse of $8 million (over Rs760 million) by former ambassador Husain Haqqani in the Memogate case due to reopen on Nov 12.
As the court Thursday handed the detailed verdict in the Asghar Khan case, the details on the amount of secret funds used for buying political favours vary.A whopping sum of Rs500 million was taken away by an influential minister for political purposes. This happened under the watch of Tariq Lodhi, acting DG IB in May 2008, the month this fund was withdrawn. The issue was taken up by Dr Shoaib Suddle after his appointment as the agency’s chief but the government did not take a serious notice. Tariq Lodhi was later posted as DG, Nadra (Europe) is operating from London where his family lives.
The last paragraph of the SC order has caused many people sleepless nights especially to a minister allegedly involved in this malpractice. It has been learnt that DG IB Dr. Suddle had apprised the then PM about the agency’s stolen funds. Gilani feigned ignorance and suggested the issue be taken up with President Asif Zardari, and it was done.
On his directives, the sources say, the details were sought. Meanwhile, an influential minister allegedly involved in these dirty deals got wind of the matter and managed to destroy the available record thus burying the issue for a while. Incidentally, the same official had also played a key role in collecting statements from the ISI officers involved in forming the IJI and distributing money among the politicians.
The Supreme Court has decided to fix the case of the alleged misuse of IB’s funds by the incumbent government. Touching upon this question in Asghar Khan case verdict, the court said it will take up the misuse of funds case in next two weeks.
Earlier, it was briefly taken up during the course of the hearing of Asghar Khan Case. Now it is being separately taken up and a newspaper that reported in March about the alleged misuse of this fund in Punjab has been made party into the case.
“The news item may be registered as CMA and after de-linking the same from instant case, be fixed in court, with notice to the publishers, printers and reporters of the said newspapers as well as DG, IB and the Attorney General for a date after two weeks,” reads the order.
An English newspaper had reported that the PPP used the funds in an attempt to influence loyalties of parliamentarians in Punjab – an exercise that ‘reached its peak in the lead-up to and during the eventual imposition of governor rule in Punjab in 2009.’
Dr Suddle had admitted to the said newspaper that the secret fund was withdrawn and that he had informed the prime minister regarding the case personally. It has been learnt however that the actual amount withdrawn from the IB fund was Rs500 million. Other than probing its political use, it is also to be determined where the rest of the money was spent.
The court summoned the DG Intelligence Bureau to explain the alleged misuse of Rs500 million secret funds for toppling the Punjab government in 2008. The apex court is also going to inquire about the use or misuse of $8 million (over Rs760 million) by former ambassador Husain Haqqani in the Memogate case due to reopen on Nov 12.
As the court Thursday handed the detailed verdict in the Asghar Khan case, the details on the amount of secret funds used for buying political favours vary.A whopping sum of Rs500 million was taken away by an influential minister for political purposes. This happened under the watch of Tariq Lodhi, acting DG IB in May 2008, the month this fund was withdrawn. The issue was taken up by Dr Shoaib Suddle after his appointment as the agency’s chief but the government did not take a serious notice. Tariq Lodhi was later posted as DG, Nadra (Europe) is operating from London where his family lives.
The last paragraph of the SC order has caused many people sleepless nights especially to a minister allegedly involved in this malpractice. It has been learnt that DG IB Dr. Suddle had apprised the then PM about the agency’s stolen funds. Gilani feigned ignorance and suggested the issue be taken up with President Asif Zardari, and it was done.
On his directives, the sources say, the details were sought. Meanwhile, an influential minister allegedly involved in these dirty deals got wind of the matter and managed to destroy the available record thus burying the issue for a while. Incidentally, the same official had also played a key role in collecting statements from the ISI officers involved in forming the IJI and distributing money among the politicians.
The Supreme Court has decided to fix the case of the alleged misuse of IB’s funds by the incumbent government. Touching upon this question in Asghar Khan case verdict, the court said it will take up the misuse of funds case in next two weeks.
Earlier, it was briefly taken up during the course of the hearing of Asghar Khan Case. Now it is being separately taken up and a newspaper that reported in March about the alleged misuse of this fund in Punjab has been made party into the case.
“The news item may be registered as CMA and after de-linking the same from instant case, be fixed in court, with notice to the publishers, printers and reporters of the said newspapers as well as DG, IB and the Attorney General for a date after two weeks,” reads the order.
An English newspaper had reported that the PPP used the funds in an attempt to influence loyalties of parliamentarians in Punjab – an exercise that ‘reached its peak in the lead-up to and during the eventual imposition of governor rule in Punjab in 2009.’
Dr Suddle had admitted to the said newspaper that the secret fund was withdrawn and that he had informed the prime minister regarding the case personally. It has been learnt however that the actual amount withdrawn from the IB fund was Rs500 million. Other than probing its political use, it is also to be determined where the rest of the money was spent.
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