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Pakistan SC sanctions prosecution of former Army chief, former ISI chief
Pakistanis perceive the Pakistani army to be above the law but the SC order clearly warns the military from interfering in politics.
In an unprecedented judgement, Pakistan's Supreme Court indicted two retired Pakistan army generals for manipulating the 1990 national elections. The October 19 verdict stunned the nation which perceives the Pakistani army, both serving and retired, as being above the law.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry directed the government to take action against former army chief General Mirza Aslam Beg and former ISI Chief Lt General Asad Durrani who distributed Rs.60 million among politicians. The order from the three-member bench of the apex court came after a 16-year-old petition. Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan filed the petition in 1996 where he accused Pakistan's powerful ISI of distributing Rs.60 million to rig the polls. Khan contested and lost the elections from Lahore.
The judgement has sounded a warning to the Pakistan army to keep away from the general elections due in early 2013: the judges said the country's intelligence agencies had to safeguard borders not dabble in politics.
The army reacted meekly. A spokesperson said the army would follow directions by the government in the Asghar Khan case.
Former Pak Army Chief Mirza Aslam Beg stands accused of buying political influence.
The army has been immune from prosecution. The Hamoodur Rahman Commisson of 1974, recommended the trial of army chief General Yahya Khan and ten other generals for the humiliating defeat by India in East Pakistan in 1971. The findings were never implemented. The government directed the Federal Investigation Agency to begin a probe soon after the verdict.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Qaira told journalists on October 20 that the case would be probed irrespective of the suspect's political status or affiliation. Qaira said that the government would try the retired generals for high treason. Under these charges, the generals can be given the death penalty or life imprisonment. Chaudhry's landmark judgement has given the embattled PPP government an impetus to try the former generals.
The court also ordered the federal government to initiate legal proceedings against all those politicians who allegedly received donations to spend on election campaigns in 1990. Durrani admitted before the court in 1994 that he had distributed amounts between Rs.3.5 million cash and Rs.1 million to prominent politicians like former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif, Muhammad Khan Junejo, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Rs.5.6 million spent on journalists to influence the poll outcome.
The 1990 electoral rigging that led to the defeat of Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's worst kept secret. General Beg replaced General Zia as army chief after his 1988 assassination. He conspired with President Ghulam Ishaq Khan to oust Bhutto. The funds for the operation came from Younas Habib, former chief executive of Habib Bank.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf vowed action against the accused. He told journalists that establishment "snatched" the 1990 elections by bankrolling politicians using funds from national exchequer. Even politicians at the receiving end of the Supreme Court ire could scarcely conceal their glee.
Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, ousted by the Supreme Court, hailed the verdict because it would keep the army away from politics. "The army and intelligence agencies should not interfere in politics," he said. Political analyst Fasihur Rehman Khan believes the judgement was 'too little too late' for the PPP. The verdict certainly does not help President Asif Ali Zardari whose graft cases, Justice Chaudhry has repeatedly asked the government to reopen.
"The PPP needs Zardari for 2013 general elections, but now he will have to play hide and seek with court and elections commission in run up to the elections," he said. Now, both Zardari and the army are running scared from a common enemy.
Read more at: Pakistan SC sanctions prosecution of former Army chief, former ISI chief : World, News - India Today
Pakistanis perceive the Pakistani army to be above the law but the SC order clearly warns the military from interfering in politics.
In an unprecedented judgement, Pakistan's Supreme Court indicted two retired Pakistan army generals for manipulating the 1990 national elections. The October 19 verdict stunned the nation which perceives the Pakistani army, both serving and retired, as being above the law.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry directed the government to take action against former army chief General Mirza Aslam Beg and former ISI Chief Lt General Asad Durrani who distributed Rs.60 million among politicians. The order from the three-member bench of the apex court came after a 16-year-old petition. Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan filed the petition in 1996 where he accused Pakistan's powerful ISI of distributing Rs.60 million to rig the polls. Khan contested and lost the elections from Lahore.
The judgement has sounded a warning to the Pakistan army to keep away from the general elections due in early 2013: the judges said the country's intelligence agencies had to safeguard borders not dabble in politics.
The army reacted meekly. A spokesperson said the army would follow directions by the government in the Asghar Khan case.
Former Pak Army Chief Mirza Aslam Beg stands accused of buying political influence.
The army has been immune from prosecution. The Hamoodur Rahman Commisson of 1974, recommended the trial of army chief General Yahya Khan and ten other generals for the humiliating defeat by India in East Pakistan in 1971. The findings were never implemented. The government directed the Federal Investigation Agency to begin a probe soon after the verdict.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Qaira told journalists on October 20 that the case would be probed irrespective of the suspect's political status or affiliation. Qaira said that the government would try the retired generals for high treason. Under these charges, the generals can be given the death penalty or life imprisonment. Chaudhry's landmark judgement has given the embattled PPP government an impetus to try the former generals.
The court also ordered the federal government to initiate legal proceedings against all those politicians who allegedly received donations to spend on election campaigns in 1990. Durrani admitted before the court in 1994 that he had distributed amounts between Rs.3.5 million cash and Rs.1 million to prominent politicians like former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif, Muhammad Khan Junejo, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Rs.5.6 million spent on journalists to influence the poll outcome.
The 1990 electoral rigging that led to the defeat of Benazir Bhutto was Pakistan's worst kept secret. General Beg replaced General Zia as army chief after his 1988 assassination. He conspired with President Ghulam Ishaq Khan to oust Bhutto. The funds for the operation came from Younas Habib, former chief executive of Habib Bank.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf vowed action against the accused. He told journalists that establishment "snatched" the 1990 elections by bankrolling politicians using funds from national exchequer. Even politicians at the receiving end of the Supreme Court ire could scarcely conceal their glee.
Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, ousted by the Supreme Court, hailed the verdict because it would keep the army away from politics. "The army and intelligence agencies should not interfere in politics," he said. Political analyst Fasihur Rehman Khan believes the judgement was 'too little too late' for the PPP. The verdict certainly does not help President Asif Ali Zardari whose graft cases, Justice Chaudhry has repeatedly asked the government to reopen.
"The PPP needs Zardari for 2013 general elections, but now he will have to play hide and seek with court and elections commission in run up to the elections," he said. Now, both Zardari and the army are running scared from a common enemy.
Read more at: Pakistan SC sanctions prosecution of former Army chief, former ISI chief : World, News - India Today
