Islamabad: Former Pakistani army chief Mirza Aslam Baig on Wednesday submitted a petition against a Supreme Court verdict which found him guilty of involvement in distribution of funds by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to selected politicians prior to the 1990 general election to influence the outcome of the polls.
In the review petition filed through a lawyer, the former army chief contends that he was declared guilty without being given a chance to prove his innocence.
The petitioner stated that he was not involved in the process of distribution of cash among politicians and requested the Supreme Court to revise the verdict concerning him.
The apex court, in its verdict recently on a petition by former air force chief Asghan Khan that had been pending for about 16 years, ruled that the 1990 elections were rigged by a political cell sponsored by late president Gulam Ishaq Khan, with the help of former army chief and former ISI head Gen Assad Durrani.
The verdict asked the government to take legal action against Baig as well as Duranni and also conduct a probe through the Federal Investigation Agency about politicians who received the cash from ISI in 1990.
The court also observed in the verdict that the office of president in a parliamentary republic should remain aloof from partisan politics and treat all equally and impartially.
The observations regarding the role of the president irked the incumbent government which has also filed a review petition challenging the same.
The government’s petition reportedly argues the court did not have the authority to make such observation regarding the presidency.
The Supreme Court is yet to take a decision of the review petitions. Under the rules, a review petition is heard by the same bench which has passed a verdict.
