Plan to distribute money among politicians to influence the outcome of the 1990 general election in Pakistan was in full knowledge of the then army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg, ex-ISI chief Asad Durrani has informed the country's Supreme Court.
Slain Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had asked the Pakistan Air Force to be ready for attacking India's nuclear facilities, when reports surfaced in 1990 that United States, Israel and India were planning to strike Pakistan's nuclear establishments.
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday ordered the government to take legal action against former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg and former Inter Services Intelligence chief Asad Durrani for distributing millions of rupees among politicians to rig the 1990 general election
The ongoing war of words between a former Pakistani chief of army staff general and a former ISI chief, trading allegations and counter allegations in the supreme court and blaming each other for payment of millions of rupees among anti-Pakistan People's Party politicians to influence the results of the 1990 general elections, has abundantly made it clear how Pakistan's powerful military and intelligence establishment has been manipulating domestic politics for decades now.
Former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Asad Durrani on admitted in Supreme Court that he had distributed millions of rupees among Pakistani politicians in 1990 on the instructions of then army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg and late president Ghulam Ishaq Khan.
Several retired Pakistani generals have warned that the military might react if there is any move by lawyers or the judiciary to humiliate former army chief Pervez Musharraf, according to a media report on Tuesday.
Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday pledged a transparent and impartial probe into the rigging of the 1990 general election by some politicians and military officers, in line with a Supreme Court order and to punish the guilty according to the law.
The Pakistan army's legal branch has concluded that there is no scope for the military to try former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg and former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen Asad Durrani for paying millions of rupees to politicians to rig the 1990 general election, a media report said.
Former Pakistani Generals, including ex-army chief Mirza Aslam Beg, have criticised President Pervez Musharraf's handling of the Kashmir problem and said there could be no long-term friendship with India unless the issue is resolved.
Pakistan's Federal Investigation has formed a committee to probe the distribution of Rs 140 million among politicians by the Inter-Services Intelligence for rigging the 1990 general election.
If General Asim Munir, Pakistan's new army chief, wants to help defuse the current polarised atmosphere and shepherd civilian politicians towards negotiations on an acceptable date for elections, he may need to distance himself from any perception of needless hostility to Imran Khan, explains Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W, India's external intelligence agency.
Every trick in the trade is being tried unabashedly.
In simple arithmetical terms every possible 'arrangement' is being made to deny a majority to its rivals. A split verdict would hand a vital advantage to the BJP which is adept at extracting the best out of such a situation, notes Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.
Several retired and serving military officers attend Pervez Musharraf's funeral prayers.
Hein Kiessling has the kind of access in Pakistan that journalists (and spies) would die for, says Kanika Datta.
Ending weeks of speculation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday appointed Lt Gen Raheel Sharif as Pakistan's new army chief and Lt Gen Rashid Mehmood as the chairman joint chiefs of staff committee.
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