Pak military denies interference

Statement after Islamabad judge accuses ISI of rigging judiciary

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military on Sunday denied accusations of stage managing the general elections, calling on the Supreme Court to “initiate appropriate process to ascertain the veracity of the allegations”.

The military’s statement, tweeted out by its chief spokesman Asif Ghafoor, was in response to claims by Islamabad high court judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on Saturday that the ISI was pressurising the judiciary into doing its bidding.

The statement posted by Ghafoor read: “An honourable judge of Islamabad high court of Pakistan has levelled serious allegations against state institutions, including honorary judiciary and the premier state intelligence agency.”

The statement says that “in order to safeguard the sanctity and credibility of the state institutions”, the Supreme Court has been requested to “initiate appropriate process to ascertain the veracity of the allegations and take actions accordingly”.

Earlier on Sunday, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar took “serious notice of a speech delivered by justice Siddiqui... alleging interference of intelligence agencies of the country in judicial matters”. The top judge has also called for complete record of the speech from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

PML-N LEADER JAILED DAYS BEFORE POLLS

A Pakistan anti-narcotics court has jailed for life an important member of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N party, just days before the general elections. The move has prompted PML-N activists of accusing the judiciary of working actively on an agenda set by the military to defeat Sharif and his supporters.

In a case dating from 2010, Hanif Abbasi, a close aide of Sharif, was accused of selling 500 kg of a misappropriated quota of ephedrine — used to make methamphetamines — to smugglers. The court, in a judgement issued late on Saturday, said Abbasi failed to defend himself.

Abbasi was a nominee from a Rawalpindi constituency and was up against Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid. His conviction will likely give Rashid — a politically ally of Imran Khan — a walkover in the constituency.