Memogate: Haqqani given 3-day deadline to submit plea seeking summoning review

Court issues orders to all respondents to submit rejoinder to Haqqani’s objections within 5 days.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday gave a three-day deadline to former ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani for submitting an application to the court to review its summoning orders, Express News reported.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan, the first petitioner in the case, said to a nine-member bench headed by Justice Shakirullah Jan, that Haqqani was still in the US and had not come back to appear in the court despite summons issued for him.

Haqqani’s counsel Asma Jehangir informed the court that she had told her client about the court’s orders, but his return is linked with the review petition he had submitted in the court.

He had prayed to the apex court to set aside the Memo commission’s report and not consider its conclusion. He had said that the report should be set aside and not be considered so that full justice is done, and discrimination including persecution of the petitioner (Haqqani) be rectified.

Jehangir further said that Haqqani was not sentenced neither the court had given any verdict against him.

Justice Saqib Nisar observed that the former ambassador had assured the court of his return whenever summoning orders are issued and that he should have come back.

The court issued orders to all respondents in the case to submit a rejoinder to Haqqani’s objections within five days and adjourned the hearing till an indefinite date.