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ISI funds for politicians: PML-N rejects investigation by the FIA

The PML-N said while it accepted the SC ruling but could not trust the FIA to conduct impartial investigation into distribution of money by the ISI among politicians in 1990. PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif is among several right-wing politicians accused by former ISI director general Gen. Asad Durrani of being recipient of the largesse.

Addressing a news conference here, leader of opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said that his party wanted investigations through an “independent judicial commission” and not by the FIA which was under the control of the ministry headed by Rehman Malik.

“We accept the SC decision in letter and spirit and are ready to cooperate, but a probe through the FIA is totally unacceptable,” said Nisar.

He expressed surprise over the SC move to give responsibility of the investigation to the FIA despite knowing its “performance” over the past four years and mentioned the FIA’s role in investigations into various corruption scams.

“Did the FIA carry out a transparent probe into the NICL, OGDCL and Haj scams,” he appeared to be asking the SC.

Nisar termed the SC verdict a “welcome development” and expressed the hope that it would curtail the role of (intelligence) agencies in future elections.

Nisar said the PML-N could approach the court on the issue, if needed.

“We are ready to face accountability. However, the SC (in its verdict) has called for a transparent inquiry which is not possible through the FIA,” he said.

He said a judicial commission should investigate the role of the agencies since the time former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, according to him, approved the setting up of a political wing in the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“There should be an open trial. Nothing should be kept secret so that people should know who had given money to whom,” he said.

Seemingly disturbed over the attacks on the PML-N from different directions after the verdict, he asked the opponents to stop “media trial” merely on the basis of allegations.

He said PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf were trying to politically exploit the SC decision by maligning the PML-N.

“For the past couple of days, all guns are blazing at the party,” he said.

Defending his leader Nawaz Sharif, he said the PML-N did not even exist during the 1990 elections and Sharif was then a member of the PML headed by former prime minister Mohammad Khan Junejo.

He agreed that Sharif headed the IJI at that time, “but by virtue of rotation of the presidency and not by choice”.

He alleged that misuse of Presidency, as mentioned by the SC in its verdict, was still going on and President Asif Ali Zardari was channelling public money to support his PPP.

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