ISLAMABAD: A Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) probe into distribution of money among politicians by secret agencies for rigging the 1990 general elections commenced on Friday and Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan appeared before a committee of the investigative agency to record his statement at its headquarters, DawnNews reported.

The investigation committee headed by Ghalib Bandesha recorded the statement of Asghar Khan.

Source said that in the next expected move former army chief Aslam Baig and former director general Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Asad Durrani would be called by the committee adding that former head of the Mehran bank, Younus Habib, would also be called during the investigation process.

In November, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Khan made the announcement about the committee to investigate the case, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order of last year.

The committee, headed by FIA Additional Director General Mohammad Ghalib Bandesha and comprising Dr Usman Anwar, Qudratullah Khan and Najab Qulli, has been tasked to complete the investigation in six months in accordance with the orders issued by the apex court.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had issued a landmark short verdict on October 19 ordering legal proceedings against former head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen (retd) Asad Durrani and former army chief General (Retd) Aslam Baig.

Asghar Khan had filed the petition in 1996, accusing the ISI of financing several politicians during the 1990 elections to create the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) and prevent Benazir Bhutto’s PPP from winning.

The Supreme Court in its short order ruled that there was ample evidence to suggest that the 1990 election was rigged and that a political cell maintained by the then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan supported the formation of the IJI to stop a victory of the PPP.

The ruling said Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Baig and Durrani violated the Constitution.