Share this article
Print this page
Email a friend
- RSS
- Today's Paper
- Subscribe
- beta 2.0
High: 33°C
Low: 27°C
Alerts
Memogate hearing: Ijaz continues with his testimony
Zahid Bukhari says Ijaz's evidences should be photocopied and sent to Pakistan.
American businessman, Mansoor Ijaz, arrives at the Pakistan High Commission in London. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Mansoor Ijaz, the central character in the Memogate scandal, continued with his testimony on Thursday at the Pakistan High Commission in London.
The Pakistani-American businessman continued from where he had left his statements on the first day of the recording and presented more documents to the judicial commission panel.
He read out his BlackBerry conversation with former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani and told the commission that he had sent a message to Haqqani on May 9 at 1:40pm saying that he has forwarded his message to the Americans, referred to as “Isphanis”.
Haqqani replied at 1:44pm in which he talked about director-general Inter-Services Intelligence and the army chief, said Ijaz.
Ijaz told the commission that the DG ISI and the army chief were were given the codename “bad boys” in the messages.
He told judges that Haqqani wrote him a message on his Blackberry referring to the Pakistani government as “friend”, and army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and ISI chief Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha as “bad boys”.
Ijaz said he drafted the memo after Haqqani gave him points and requested that it should be delivered to Admiral Mike Mullen, then chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. The memo was delivered on May 10.
Ijaz also claimed that Haqqani said Islamabad would assist the United States “in locating other bad guys and we also commit American boots on the ground,” if Kayani stepped down.
Media is not being allowed inside the Pakistan High Commission to avoid disruption. Express News correspondent Mujahid Umar reported that an official of the High Commission had requested that the media avoid asking Ijaz any questions on his arrival.
The judicial commission panel questioned him at Pakistan High Commission in London, while the judicial commission in Islamabad quizzed him via a video link.
Haqqani’s lawyer opposes video link
The judicial commission probing the Memogate scandal earlier heard applications of Zahid Bukhari, counsel of former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani, against the questioning of Mansoor Ijaz via video link, Express News reported.
Bukhari, in his applications, had demanded that Ijaz be quizzed personally in London rather than via a video link and said that all the evidence that Ijaz is providing should be photocopied and sent to Pakistan.
Ijaz’s lawyer Akram Sheikh, however, replied saying that the evidence is of a ‘secretive’ nature and cannot be shared with everyone. The ones that can be shared will be provided to the commission, he said.
Read more:
memogate
Reader Comments (15)
Latest News
CJP urges reforms in family laws, ensure provision of inexpensive, quick justice
Commission decides to demand additional grant in next budget to increased strength of judges, staff, infrastructure.
No decision on Nato route yet, despite US container crossing border: Rehman Malik
Malik says negotiations with US over the route are still going on, reopening remains linked to stopping drone attacks.
NATO chief urges Pakistan to help stabilise Afghanistan
Rasmussen said he would "convey a couple of clear messages," when he meets Zardari, but he did not elaborate.
Let’s make-up with Bina Khan: Pretty in pink
Create the illusion of being too cool for school with this classic pink make-up look.
Jessica Sanchez, Phillip Phillips make ‘Idol’ final
Sanchez has impressed the judges from the beginning of the current season with her technical mastery of music.
Recent Slideshows
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2012 The Express Tribune News Network.
Technical feedback? webmaster@tribune.com.pk
DG ISI wants job extention . . .
and thus created a bad show . . .!!!!
Recommend
Mansoor Ijaz, why didn’t he travel to Pakistan fo the hearing? Is he a persona non grata in the country or does he fear for his life? Nevertheless this “Memogate scandal” seems to be history for Pakistan’s military and it’s highly unlikey that the affair will topple the civilian government as did the “Watergate” scandal, which saw Niixon’s resignation in 1974.
Recommend
Waste of scarce resources. I wish the judges will someday start hearing the ordinary people’s cases. The three most troubled provinces deserve their chief justices’ attention. Don’t they? Is the chief justice of Pakistan setting his priorities right? People are yawning now at this memogate show.
Recommend
Can we not concentrate on Baluchistan and spare this Maaaaaamo!
Recommend
@J von hetlington. M Ijaz obviously was concerned about his security in Pakistan. Look at what happened to Benazir Bhutto and the former Governor of Punjab Mr Taseer. His self- confessed murderer was showered with flowers by some of the so called Lawyers and the religious bigots. Even Mr Taseer’s son had been abducted subsequently and still not recovered.Recommend
its all about policies
Recommend
Why was the US double agent so obedient servant to HH that he did all those things happiliy? Then all of a sudden how and why he became a darling of the same generals he was against and writing to the US govt to call ISI a terrorist organization? What changed him to take a U turn?
In addition, the memo was written and delivered by MI not by any other person. Yet MI is an innocent darling of the courts and generals and the only witness against HH. Can a foreigner who is so much against Pakistan, army, ISI and govt be a credible witness?Recommend
It is very important and startling aspect of the case but, unfortunately the Blackberry has finally refused to provide the relevant record to the Commission. Now the question before is that who would corroborate the statement of the star witness.
On the other hand reliable media report says, according to the record available
messages were found sent by Mansoor Ijaz not by Hussain Haqqani, and on the basis of the messages Ijaz prepared the draft and submitted to the messenger and requested
to deliver the authority concerned. The fact is that star witness has many times changed its stance and statement. In fact he is not reliable. Previous record attributed to him has proved him as a blackmailer. He is liar and would proved liar, who tried to play with peace of the country and created friction in between Pakistan’s institutions He is responsible for the present
Recommend
@Anjum:
You nailed it correctly. There has not been HH’s statements, SMS or emails, only the double agent presented rather read from the expertly prepared text. How many culprits are allowed this luxury and favor while on the witness stand? The court is trying harder than the double agent to come up with something but has failed to find a smoking gun against HH. While MI has admitted writing and delivering the memo, yet he is not questioned and punished about his crimes against Pakistan and its people.
Regards,
Mirza
Recommend
@HoneyBee:
Prime Minister himself admitted that he himself had requested Kiyani and Pasha to accept extensions otherwise these individuals never wanted any extension.
Recommend
If Hussain Haqqani is innocent then he has nothing to fear. Instead of avoiding the investigation on one pretext or the other he should hand over his Black Berry Telephone and the PIN to the commission.
Recommend
The perception (I hope a wrong perception) is: Tilted Tarazoo? If you know what I mean.
Recommend
@Anjum:
@Mirza:
If you read the testimony and documents it is clear Ijaz is telling the truth. Why Haqqani denies it is a mystery. There is more to the memo gate and a snippet of the underlying story can be found in BBM messages exchanged after the opEd was published. There is a conference call with Ijaz contacts and Haqqani, meeting between Mullen and Haqqani on the subject and at least two law firms in the US knew.
The story of memo gate begins before the Abottobad operation and Mr. Haqqani’s role in it. Ijaz mentions that in his BBM and Mr. Haqqani replies with tacit reply of acknowledgement.
Recommend
IF Ijaz is a liar then Haqqani in not a saint too.
Recommend
who is liar and who is saint GOD knows, if the case is looked into through crooked eyes , what will be the conclusion it is clear. It is well said jhutey key agey sachcha roey …..
Recommend