A petition seeking the immediate removal of ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha has been filed in Pakistan's Supreme Court, alleging his involvement in efforts to oust President Asif Ali Zardari.
In his petition filed yesterday, Communist Party of Pakistan chairman Jameel Ahmed contended that Pasha was not eligible to hold the high post.
He based his petition on articles in the foreign media which said Pasha had allegedly sought and received approval from Arab leaders to sack President Zardari.
"Till date these allegations have not been denied by both the ISI Director General and the Inter-Services Public Relations," Ahmed said.
He requested the apex court to declare that Pasha's continuance in office was in direct contravention of Article 244 of the Constitution, which deals with the oath of the armed forces.
As interim relief, the court should direct the federal government to suspend the ISI chief till the disposal of the petition, Ahmed said.
Controversial Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz has claimed that Pasha visited several Arab countries to seek approval for the ouster of Zardari after the May 2 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
Ijaz also made public the alleged memo in which US help was sought to prevent a feared coup in Pakistan after the killing of bin Laden.
Ahmed said in his petition: "If whatever stated by Mansoor Ijaz about the 'memogate' is correct, then what about his opinion concerning the ISI (DG) that he got approval from the Arab world for the removal of the President."
He added: "This is alarming and shows involvement of the ISI DG."
