Rehman Malik, leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP),  Imtiaz Sheikh and Younus Habib refused to appear before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) regarding Asghar Khan case.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) summoned Rehman Malik, Younus Habib, Imtiaz Sheikh, Advocate Yousaf Memon, Jam Mashooq, and Jam Haider Afaq to appear before FIA officials today.

Therefore, Memon, Mashooq and Afaq appeared today before the FIA. Sources informed that that Rehman Malik told FIA officials that for avoiding and escaping from media, he could not appear before the investigation agency in Asghar Khan case.

While Rehman Malik spoke to media that the FIA did not summon him but wrote a letter seeking guidance. Malik said that he was working as Additional Director General FIA when the Asghar Khan case happened and ready to guide FIA under the law.

Moreover, he said that due to illness he could not go for hearing. 

Whereas, Younus Habib informed FIA through a letter stating that he didn’t appear as he is unwell.

Asghar Khan Case

The said case involves army’s direct interference in the 1990 general elections and funding by the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to certain politicians and others for blocking the Benazir Bhutto’s return to power.

The apex court has already heard this case and is now hearing the case of implementation of its earlier verdict – which requires further investigation and action by the government.

Benazir government had been dismissed by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan on a number of charges and the establishment did not want her to return through the election at any cost. The two-time Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif became the prime minister as result of the 1990 elections, only to be dismissed by the same president in 1993.

According to information gathered by The Nation, an amount of Rs140 million was deposited in Karachi accounts by one Younis Habib while a total of Rs6 million were distributed as directed by then Chief of Army Staff and the remaining money was transferred to a special fund.

As per the affidavit submitted by former ISI DG Asad Durrani, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had received Rs3.5 million, Jamat-i-Islami Rs5m, Syeda Abida Hussain Rs1m, former KP CM Mir Afzal Rs10m, former Sindh CM Jam Sadiq Rs5 million, Muhammd Khan Junejo Rs2.5m, Pir Pagara Rs2m, Altaf Hassan Qureshi and Mustafa Sadiq Rs0.5m each, Maulana Salauddin Rs0.3 and miscellaneious groups Rs5.4 million.

The recipients also included, Jam Yousaf who received Rs0.75m, Humayun Mari (son-in-law of Akbar Bugti) Rs1.5m, a prominent Jamali tribe leader Rs4m, a Kakar tribe leader Rs1m, a Bazinjo tribe leader Rs0.50m and Nadeem Mengal Rs1m.

General Durrani added to the list of recipients a few more names in his letter submitted on June 7, 1994 which included Mustafa Khar Rs2m, Hafeez Pirzada Rs3m, Sarwar Cheema Rs0.5m and Miraj Khalid Rs0.2m.

The remaining Rs80m of the total of Rs140m was either deposited in the ISI’s ‘K’ fund (Rs60m) or given to Director External Intelligence for special operations.

According to details provided by former Sindh chief of the Military Intelligence (MI) Brig (r) Hamid Saeed Akhtar on Oct 18 this year, six accounts were opened in different banks and on the directions of the MI director general the funds were remitted to different accounts, including one of GHQ (Rs40m) and regional office of MI Quetta (Rs10.5m), while Rs3.828m was sent to Sindh Regimental Centre for construction of men’s living barracks, interrogation cells and other expenses.

As for the funding to politicians, media persons and others, Hamid revealed that Rs5 million were remitted to the account of interim prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Sindh interim chief minister Jam Sadiq Ali (Rs5m), Muhammad Khan Junejo (Rs2.5m), Abdul Hafeez Pirzada (Rs3m), Sibghatullah Pir Pagara (Rs2m), Muzaffar Hussain Shah (Rs3m twice), Ghulam Ali Nizamani (Rs0.3m), Arbab Ghulam Rahim (Rs0.2m), Salahud Din of Takbeer newspaper (Rs3m), and Yousaf Haroon (Rs5m).

The remaining amount of Rs67m, including interest, was later sent to the GHQ, along with bank statements, according to the former MI officer.