ISLAMABAD: Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan on Friday lauded the Supreme Court’s verdict on his petition and said that the government should initiate criminal proceedings against those involved in the Mehran Bank scandal, DawnNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives outside the Supreme Court, Khan said whoever had committed a crime — be it a civilian or a man in uniform — should be punished.

He added that it was for the first time in the country's history, that a ruling had come against retired military officials.

On the occasion, Khan's counsel, Salman Akram Raja, said that it was not possible for the government to not act on the court's verdict.

Responding to a question, Raja said the Constitution's Article 6 could be used to proceed against former army chief Gen (retd) Mirza Aslam Beg and ISI’s former director general Lt-Gen (retd) Asad Durrani.

The counsel moreover said that the court had clarified that no one could hide behind an unconstitutional order.

Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court, in a short order, ruled that Asghar Khan’s petition was admissible for regular hearing and ordered the government to take legal action against Beg, Durrani and Younus Habib, who headed the now defunct Mehran Bank.