Memogate: SC admits Nawaz petition for regular hearing
Other than former ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani and Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, the petition also names as respondents President Asif Ali Zardari, Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Inter-Services Intelligence Agency chief Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha and Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.
In his petition, Nawaz has prayed that the court summon all respondents in person to explain the memogate scandal which has ‘ridiculed’ and ‘maligned’ the armed forces of Pakistan. The alleged memorandum, the petition says, is mutinous, treasonous, shocking, repulsive and harrowing for any patriotic Pakistani.
Through a separate appeal, Nawaz has also requested the court to place Haqqani’s name on the Exit Control List, saying he might leave the country voluntarily or made to leave because of judicial proceedings against him.
Meanwhile, the federal government has assured the Lahore High Court that Haqqani will not be allowed to leave the country before the Parliamentary Committee on National Security completes its inquiry into the scandal.
The LHC was hearing a petition, filed by Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree on behalf of citizen Iftikhar Rajput, praying that Haqqani’s name be added to the ECL and high treason proceedings be initiated against him. Two deputy attorney-generals appeared before the court of Justice Umar Ata Bandial on behalf of the federal government and informed the court that the matter will be investigated under supervision of the parliamentary panel’s chairman Senator Raza Rabbani.
Justice Bandial directed the lawyers to submit a written reply and adjourned hearing till December 9. On the lawyers’ request, the judge also ordered the petitioner to include the names of foreign affairs and interior secretaries among respondents. The petition originally named as respondents Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Attorney-General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq.
The petition says that Haqqani tarnished the image of both Pakistan and its armed forces and attempted to pledge Pakistan’s sovereignty to America and also accuses the former ambassador of holding the nationality of both Pakistan and the US. Rajput also claims that Haqqani, ignoring merit, was appointed the ambassador to Sri Lanka during Nawaz’s tenure and then joined the ‘Zardari Group’ to gain the lucrative post of ambassador to the US.
The petition also says that Haqqani wasted and minted a huge amount of public money (five million dollars) in unsuccessful defence of Dr Aafia Siddiqui in US Courts, which also caused humiliation to Pakistan.
(With additional reporting by Rana Tanveer in Lahore)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2011.
COMMENTS (16)
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PROTOCOL IS NOT A MATTER; The PPP leaders are crying that Nawaz Sharif was given protocol when he went to Supreme court in connection with memo gate scandal. I think protocol is not a matter. The matter is that why the PPP and its rulers are avoiding the decisions of the Supreme court and merely exploiting the situation on the name of so called protocol. On the face of it, the PPP intended to malign the August Supreme court on one pretext or the other. But be remember and even the PPP and its leaders are warned that whole the nation had already accepted the present Supreme court and even till date, the people of Pakistan are having faith in it. If the PPP or its leaders have some evil designs and eveil motive , then they should also remember that despite their power, they could not change the decisions of Supreme court and PPP is now in the blind street. The PPP is playing staged managed drama and none else.
Where is Imran Khan hiding during all these days of memogate scandal?
LAWLESSNESS FROM THE MOUTH OF EX-LAW MINISTER BABAR AWAN: It is a matter of great concern that during the press conference Babar Awan Ex Law Minister kept on crying and and shouting as to how the August Supreme court passed an order without hearing the concerned person/authority. Whether Babar Awan has created an other court to sit over the orders of the August Supreme Court of Pakistan. He appears to be pregnant with grudge and does not intend to face the realities. The history of orders of Supreme court does show that how many orders were passed by the August court and how much were implemented. The intention of PPP rulers is clear that they intended to prolong the matter and to float the orders of the court. But they must remember, that people of Pakistan are awakening and would not wait any more. Even Babar Awan is fully aware of the situation but he is bent on to please his boss. At the same time, I am also conscious of the fact that after a thrilling gathering by Imran Khan at Lahore, the PML N is not feeling well and is bent upon to save them but it cannot be said that on point of memo gate scandal they are wrong. The integrity of our country is at stake. The Rulers are now in the blind street and Inshallah, the people of Pakistan are with Pak Army and Judiciary. Babar Awan and many others would see the results and face the music as decisions on NRO and other scandal of government are there.
Ask Babar Awan & AZ, do they have courage to implement decision because before politicians ISI Chief, the then COAS and other army seniour officers will be convicted as they violated their oath. Besides they violated constitution and laws. I cannot believe that Nawaz Sharif who was billionaire would go for such a petty amount. Babar Awan who was part of Zia team, who on the eve of Bhutto hanging spread sweats. Now he is hero and to pleader of PPP. Allah ki shan hey.
For the first time in history of Pakistan Judiciary id doing their job farly. Should they allow corruption unhindered? Where comes PPP in memogate? Criticising SC on memogate which yet to come up hearing means, there is fire in PPP otherwise smoke is not without reason. If PPP is not invoved, why are they fearing? PPP enblock supporting Hussain Haqqani means Memo is written on the instructions of PPP high ups.
too little too late NS, your own days are numbered as that of PPP!
This is the most biased, and most controversial court in the history of Pakistan. Previous judges would give one or two controversial judgements, not a whole series of them.
Perhaps, some of them are interested in lucrative posts in the next government. Or the prize position of the President of Pakistan.
I'm not sure why this court is called "independent judiciary". As always, the court is dominated by Punjabi judges. As always, the court is anti-PPP. The supreme courts of 1990s were giving similar judgements against the PPP government, with a strong pro-Nawaz stance. Only one judge dared to challenge PML-N (not from Punjab), and he was then assaulted and humiliated.
The only difference this time is that now the bias is stronger and much more obvious.
Just a week before Baber Awan asked CJ to open the case of Asgher Khan but nothing was response but Awan was snubbed by CJ. Now when Nawaz Sharif sent a petion agaist HH , CJ will not miss a day to open this case. What we as Pakistani should hope for justice? It means if there is some thing wrong or against NS, no one take it into cosideration. It is the beauty of justice of today.
we want quick result
The Supreme Court is burdening itself unnecessarily.
nows its totally democratic fight
Only Supreme Court can solve the mystery. I hope that during the process of hearing of the case, Supreme Court will also issue summons to Mansoor Ijaz in Islamabad to cross question him to unearth the truth.