Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, head of the ISI, during a meeting in Islamabad.—AF/File

ISLAMABAD: Another petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday over the memo case —this time against ISI Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha. The petitioner sought immediate removal of the spymaster.

Jameel Ahmed, chairman of the Communist Party of Pakistan, contended that Gen Pasha was not eligible to hold the high post of ISI.

He based his petition on articles appeared in the foreign media according to which the ISI chief allegedly got approval from the Arab world to sack President Asif Ali Zardari. “Till date these allegations have not been denied by both the ISI DG and the ISPR,” he added.

Mr Ahmed requested the apex court to declare that Lt-Gen Pasha's continuance (in office) was in direct contravention of Article 244 of the Constitution —a provision that deals with oath of the armed forces.

As an interim relief, the petitioner said, the court should direct the federal government to suspend the ISI chief till the disposal of his petition.

“If whatever stated by Mansoor Ijaz about the 'memogate' is correct, then what about his opinion concerning the ISI (DG) that he got approval from the Arab world for the removal of the president,” Mr Ahmed asked.

“This is alarming and shows involvement of the ISI DG,” the petitioner said, adding that his alleged meetings with the Arab leaders certainly came under the purview of politics.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...
Energy inflation
Updated 23 May, 2024

Energy inflation

The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is already tearing apart Pakistan’s social fabric.
Culture of violence
23 May, 2024

Culture of violence

WHILE political differences are part of the democratic process, there can be no justification for such disagreements...
Flooding threats
23 May, 2024

Flooding threats

WITH temperatures in GB and KP forecasted to be four to six degrees higher than normal this week, the threat of...