Ex-Army Chief Beg’s ‘irresponsibility’ led to Musharraf coup: Pak CJ

Islamabad: Pakistan Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that it was former army chief General Mirza Aslam Beg`s irresponsibility that led to Pervez Musharraf`s coup in 1999. A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Iftikhar, was hearing the 1996 petition filed by former Air Chief Asghar Khan, who had accused the ISI of financing politicians in the 1990 elections by dishing out Rs 140 million to create the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) and prevent Benazir Bhutto`s PPP from winning the polls.

Akram Sheikh, counsel for Gen. (retired) Beg, read out a statement of his client saying that Rs 60 million were distributed among the politicians, while the remaining Rs 80 million was deposited in the ISI accounts, following which the court ordered the defence ministry to submit details of that Rs 80 million, reports The Nation. The bench observed that according to some documents available with the court, Rs 30 million was transferred in the accounts of an organisation, called FRIENDS, owned by Beg. ANI