They constantly complain about unsavoury interventions in the democratic process, yet when the opportunity presented itself for holding the meddlers to account in the famous Asghar Khan case, all concerned put their hands up. It was back in 1996 that Tehreek-e-Istaqlal chief, Asghar Khan, who participated in the 1990 general elections as an ally of the PPP, filed a petition in the Supreme Court alleging the ISI gave money to several politicians, including the PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, to keep the PPP from returning to power. For obvious reasons, the case remained consigned to cold storage until 2012, when the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry took it up.
In an affidavit he submitted before the court, the then ISI chief Gen Asad Durani admitted having distributed, purportedly on the direction of the then Army chief Gen Aslam Beg - who denied any involvement - to various politicians. In its October 2012 verdict, the court ordered the federal government to initiate necessary action against the two armymen for their role in the sleazy scandal, and also to initiate proceedings against the politicians who took money to hurt the PPP's electoral prospects. By then the PPP back in power headed by Asif Ali Zardari decided not to ruffle any feathers, and brushed its obligation under the carpet. Now that after a six-year gap, the apex court is on the case once again to ensure implementation of its pervious verdict, the PTI government has also shown its disinclination to do the right thing. During last Saturday's hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) requested a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar to close the case, offering the excuse that there is not enough evidence to launch criminal prosecution against the individuals named in the 2012 judgment, furthermore that it could not secure financial records from the relevant banks since the matter is very old. The excuse is as flimsy as can be, considering that Gen Durrani gave a confessional statement, his officers responsible for delivering the money are still around, and the banks they used for the purpose are operational, too. Even so, that should not stop the PTI government from taking action against Gen Durrani who openly admitted having used public money to rob a political party of its chances of winning an election.
FIA's stance is a clear attempt at cover-up. Imran Khan has asked for a presentation by the FIA on this issue. If he too sides with the stance taken by FIA it would reflect badly on him who while in opposition had repeatedly called for the implementation of the Asghar Khan case judgment. Now that he is at the helm, some other considerations would seem to have gotten the better of him. Unless he insists on FIA proceeding with prosecution (as there is a confessional statement in the field) he would be counted among other politicians who gave in to exigencies of power rather than the demands of justice.