There is a new twist to Old Tale of Misappropriating Funds, as it has been revealed that Pakistan Peoples Party led Federal Governments have used Intelligence Bureau's Secret Funds time and again for fulfilling their desire to conquer Punjab or to save Federal Governments.
During the proceedings of Asghar Khan Petition (Mehrangate Scandal), the Supreme Court of Pakistan took notice of a report that the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party led Governments withdrew Multi-Dozen Million of Rupees from the Intelligence Bureau Secret Fund repeatedly in 1989, 1990 and 2008, i.e. Rs 100 Million in 1989-1990 and Rs 270 Million in 2008.
It has been reported that that the ruling PPP used the misappropriated money to push its Political Agenda in Punjab, where the Government had been formed by rival Pakistan Muslim League.
According to details, Intelligence Bureau Director Major (Retired) Masood Sharif Khattak (Now in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) withdrew over Rs 100 million from Intelligence Bureau’s Secret Funds from 1989 to 1990, when a No Confidence Motion was brought against the Then Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto, for the General Elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, saving the North West Frontier Province (Now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) Government, and to bring down rival Punjab Government.
The amount was distributed to various Party Leaders and Functionaries, despite the fact that IB’s Secret Funds can only be used to obtain or uncover sensitive information necessary to protect "National Interest".
Misappropriations in 1988-89
According to the available documents, Rs 3.2 million were allocated for IB's Secret Works in the approved Budget of 1988-89, but Rs15.284 million were approved as Supplementary Grant.
Of this Supplementary Grant, Rs 4.084 million were allocated for "Sniffing" purposes, while the remaining amount, Rs 11.2 million, was given by Then Intelligence Bureau Joint Director Major (Retired) Masood Sharif Khan to the Then Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat Mohibullah Shah on 14th April 1989. Almost two months later, on 15th June 1989, Rs 5 million were paid to Then Chief Minister North West Frontier Province (Now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao. Receiving Receipts for both these Transactions are available in the Bureau's Record.
Misappropriations in 1989-90
In the 1989-1990 Budget, Rs5.8 million were allocated for IB’s Formal Works but between October 1989 and June 1990, a Massive Amount of Rs 124.3 million was given to the IB as a Supplementary Grant, allegedly for Managing Political Crisis, i.e No Confidence Motion against the Then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
The Supplementary Grant came in seven tranches – Rs 20 million on 16th October 1989, Rs 50 million on 26th October 1989, Rs 2.5 million on 10th February 1990, Rs 13 million on 19th March 1990, Rs 20 million on 10th April 1990, Rs 10 million on 6th May 1990 and R 8.8 million on 14th June 1990.
Of these, only two Tranches Amounting to Rs 28.8 million, in April and June 1990, were given for the Agency’s Routine Affairs. The remaining, Rs 95.5 million, had been withdrawn with orders from the Prime Minister Secretariat.
Some prominent names feature among the recipients of the Rs 95.5 million Distributed for Politicking are as follows.
The Then NWFP (Now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) Chief Minister, Sherpao, received another Rs10 million on 25th October 1989 through Malik Waris Khan, in the name of the Agency Chief. A day later, on 26th October, the Then Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Major General (Retired) Naseerullah Baber received Rs 30 million while the Then IB Chief received Rs 20 million on 28th October.
A large amount was given to Hanif Khan, the then-minister for Kashmir affairs, in June 1990 – Rs20 million on June 12, Rs0.112 million on June 15 and Rs0.1 million on June 18.
At the same time, Naheed Khan, Former Political Secretary to Benazir Bhutto, also received Rs 2.6 million during June 1990 – Rs 0.1 million on 16th June, Rs 0.5 million on 19th June, Rs 1 million on 25th June and Rs 1 million on 30th June.
All receipts of amounts disbursed to Naheed Khan are available in IB’s records.
In his Misappropriations Report, Sardar Noor Elahi Leghari, the Head of Intelligence Bureau between 5th September 1989 to 9th August 1990, said IB's Funds have been deliberately used illegally. Even Benazir Bhutto committed misappropriation, Leghari stated.
All Supplementary Grants given to the IB regarding Secret Funds are distributed with the direction of the Chief Executive (Prime Minister), who is the Competent Authority to deal with these Financial Matters, Leghari wrote in his notes.
This misappropriation is more serious when one considers the circumstances, i.e. the move of No Confidence against the Premier tabled in the National Assembly, Leghari noted.
A total of Rs 70 million were given to the Prime Minister between 25th October and 28th October 1989, despite the fact that a No Confidence Motion was tabled in the Parliament on 26th October, the report adds.
Earlier, Younis Habib, the Master Mind of Mehrangate Scandal, revealed that "In order to make up for mistakes committed in 1990 (and to stop Nawaz Sharif from coming in power), I extended support in 1993 to Pakistan Peoples Party and it came to power again that year".
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