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Distributed millions among Pak politicians: ISI

August 27, 2009 14:49 IST
In a startling disclosure, Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence has admitted in the court that it had distributed huge amount of money to political parties and leaders including former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Zafarullah Jamali and Mohammad Khan Junejo.

The distribution of money was not confined to former prime ministers, but transcended political affiliations to include the likes of Pir Pagaro, Abida Hussain, Lt Gen Rafaqat and tribal leaders Humayun Marri, Nadir Mengal and Hasil Bizenjo.

The revelation was made by Pakistan's former chief justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, who said this case was still pending with the country's Supreme Court since 1999.

He said the sensational disclosures were made in an affidavit filed in the court by former ISI chief Lt Gen (retd.) Asad Durrani.

The Daily Times quoted Siddiqui telling a private TV channel that millions of rupees were distributed during former President Ghulam Ishaq Khan's regime and ostensibly to convince political leaders to join the then Islami Jamhoori Ittehad.

The IJI, headed by Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, was formed in September 1988 to oppose the Pakistan People's Party in elections.

The alliance comprised nine parties, of which the major components were the Pakistan Muslim League, National Peoples Party, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema--e-Islam.

Siddiqui told the channel that he had said at that time that ISI's role should not political. He said Lt Gen (retd.) Durrani had filed a written affidavit on July 24, 1994, claiming he had government's complete clearance on the money distribution and had opened a number of bank accounts in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Quetta and a sum of Rs 140 million transferred to him as special fund.

According to the affidavit, acquired by the TV channel, former prime ministers Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi received Rs 5 million, Nawaz Sharif received Rs 3.5 million, Zafarullah Jamali Rs 4 million, Muhammad Khan Junejo Rs 2.5 million and former Sindh chief minister Jam Sadiq Rs 5 million.

In addition, Pir Pagaro received Rs 2 million, the Jamaat-e-Islami Rs 5 million, Mir Afzal Khan Rs 10 million, Abida Hussain Rs 1 million, Lt Gen Rafaqat Rs 5.6 million for managing the media campaign, Humayun Marri Rs 1.5 million, Kakar Rs 1 million, Jam Yousaf Rs 0.7 million, Hasil Bizenjo Rs 0.5 million and Nadir Mengal Rs 1 million.

Altaf Hussain Qureshi and Mustafa Sadiq Rs 0.5 million, Salahuddin Rs 0.3 million, smaller groups Rs 5.4 million and others received Rs 3.339 million.

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