ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top judge has asked the defence ministry to produce the notification under which the notorious political cell of Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was set up in 1975, DawnNews reported.

A bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S. Khwaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain was hearing the 1996 petition of Tehriq-i-Istiqlal’s chief Asghar Khan about allegations of the ISI’s financing of politicians in the 1990 election to prevent the victory of the Pakistan People’s Party.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry said here in his remarks during Friday’s hearing that if admissible evidence was produced, then the court would send notices to politicians guilty of receiving funds from the ISI.

Attroney General Irfan Qadir told the court that the notification under which the ISI political cell was formed could not be found.

“How is it possible that a notification was issued and the defence ministry does not have a copy of it?” remarked the CJ.

The court was informed that the notification was issued by the Cabinet Division.

The CJ ordered the defence ministry to produce the missing notification in court, also directing the attorney general to facilitate the ministry in doing so.

When inquired by the bench, the ISI’s former chief Asad Durrani told the court that the money was distributed amongst the politicians on the orders given by former Chief of Army Staff Aslam Beg.

According to Durrani, the total amount of money was Rs 140 million out of which Rs60 million was disbursed.

Chief Justice remarked that this case will be heard in the open court and after receiving ample evidences the court will announce the verdict. He also said that verdict cannot be announced until the alleged people testify in the court.

Durrani requested for more time so that he could contact other people and the court granted him three weeks to do the same.

The hearing was subsequently adjourned until July 16.