Islamabad: A banker at the centre of a
scandal over the funnelling of millions of rupees from
Pakistan`s ISI to politicians in the 1990s has said that he
personally delivered cash to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif at his
home.
Former Mehran Bank chief Yunus Habib did not specify how
much he had paid to Sharif, a two-time former premier.
Habib further told Geo News channel that Rs 2.5 million
was sent to PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif, currently the Chief
Minister of Punjab, through telegraphic transfer on September
27, 1993.
As the Supreme Court resumed hearing a 16-year-old case
regarding the funding of politicians by the ISI, Habib told a
bench last week that he had arranged Rs 1.48 billion for the
military and about Rs 400 million was paid to politicians
linked to the army-backed Islami Jamhoori Ittehad to rig the
1990 general election.
The IJI was created with the backing of the security
establishment to prevent the Pakistan People`s Party from
coming to power.
Habib`s allegations have been denied by most of the
politicians accused of receiving pay-offs.
Habib said that in order to make up for mistakes he had
committed in 1990, he supported the PPP in polls held in 1993
and it came to power that year.
The banker, who is ailing and confined to a wheelchair, said he had also used money in 1993 to weaken Nawaz Sharif`s position by pitting Islamic clerics against him.
The banker acknowledged the money that was paid to
politicians was "nothing less than a bribe" and that taking or
giving bribes was a sin.
Habib further said he had arranged funds for the military
in 1990 as he was pressurised to get the money "by hook or by
crook".
He said it was impossible to arrange such a large sum
through legal means and so he had to resort to "manipulation"
of bank funds.
In earlier remarks in the apex court, Habib said he was
pressurised by then army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beg and late
President Ghulam Ishaq Khan to provide the funds.
PTI
