LAHORE, Oct 4: Awami Qiadat Party Chairman Gen Mirza Aslam Beg (retired) says the Supreme Court should take a suo motu notice of the government’s decision to withdraw cases against various political leaders.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday, he said the government had spent huge amounts from the public exchequer on pursuing these cases and there was no justification whatsoever in taking them back other than political expediency.

Gen Beg said the apex court should ensure that nobody in the government misused his authority to achieve political targets.

He apprehended that if the cases were withdrawn, political leaders might ‘invest’ their ill-gotten money in buying votes for the election. As a result, he said, the overall poll results would be affected.

Underlining the need for a fair election, the former army chief said this was the only way to put the democratic system back on track.

He doubted the presidential election would be held on schedule.

He predicted that the PML, the MQM and the PPP could be allies in the next general elections and they would have to face the parties in the All Parties Democratic Movement.

Gen Beg appreciated the appointment of Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiani as vice chief of army staff and Gen Tariq Majid as new Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. He said both the generals were senior most and thus no one was superseded.