Pakistan

Memogate: No reply from Zardari, says Attorney General

Attorney General says court could be informed about the president's health in case it insisted on a reply from him.

Faisal Shakeel December 16, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Attorney General of Pakistan (AG) Maulvi Anwarul Haq on Friday ruled out the submission of President Asif Ali Zardari's reply in the Memogate case.

"I have no instructions on filing the president's reply," Haq told reporters on the premises of the Supreme Court.

He said it remains to be seen if the Supreme Court found the Federation's reply enough in the Memogate case.

The Attorney General added that the court could be informed about the president's health in case it insisted on a reply from him.

On Thursday, Haq had stated that Friday was the last date for the submission of replies when he was asked if the president's chances of filing a reply diminished with the deadline. Today he categorically said that the president was not filing a reply.

The Supreme Court, in a statement on Thursday, had said the deadline for the replies had been December 15.

PML-N asks SC to summon High Commissioner to the UK

In another twist in the Memogate scandal, the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to summon Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who had reportedly claimed that the government was aware of the May 2 operation in Abbottabad.

The petitioners, PML-N legislators Ishaq Dar and Khwaja Asif, stated that the High Commissioner should be summoned in the Memogate scandal because it stemmed from the May 2 raid. They claimed that Hasan had said that Pakistan had assisted in terms of authorisation of the helicopter flights.

They added that the High Commissioner had also claimed that Pakistan had helped the Americans identify Osama bin Laden's location. He said that Pakistan knew about the raid at least 8 to 10 days in advance, the PML-N legislators said.

Both the PML-N leaders said the two Pakistani journalists, who broke the story, based on Wajid's revelations, should also be summoned. They prayed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs be directed to produce Hasan.

"Once he arrives, he should be ordered to stay in Pakistan unless the court or a commission exonerate him after a probe."

COMMENTS (14)

JSM | 12 years ago | Reply

@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui

Prime Minister of Pakistan is the Chief Executive of the Government. So why ".... the entire nation is cursing Asif Ali Zardari as he is responsible of unprecedented high inflation in the country and not a single extra ordinary measure has been taken by PPP government to uplift the condition of a common man in Pakistan."

Why this bias against the President?

ghulam dastgeer | 12 years ago | Reply

zardari should face court and if he is not involve haqani should be under article 6 because the memo exist according to isi

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Najib Ur Rehman | 12 years ago | Reply

Will Zardari use its court immunity in this memo-gate case too?

amjad cheema | 12 years ago | Reply

Bravo Zardari Kiani, Pasha & IMC must go home, thier position is not tenable.

Raj | 12 years ago | Reply

@sam: It does not create doubts, but shows the intent perhaps and refusals to reply to SC , only confirms the deed !!!!

Pakistani | 12 years ago | Reply Well there has been a lot of hue and cry about getting military under control of our civilian masters. I wish I could support this idea but it is far from what our so called democratically elected rulers want. Our democratic elected rulers just want to have a "king-like" government so that there is no check and balance of any sort on them. They can loot the populace, they can build their palaces in dubai , london, saudia and God knows where. After all what you, the people of Pakistan, want? There is only one solution. The leader must be honest and free from corruption. The true representative of the people can only bring the institutions under control. Having army chief or the ISI chief at the door of presidency saluting the president is not getting army under control. If our honorable politicians (if there is any honor at all) want to bring army under control then they should step up and take control of 40% of Pakistan being run by the military after military operations against terrorists. Why can't the civil establishment control those areas and army can go back into barracks? Change is Pakistan ain't coming until we have honest politicians who can either take charge for the people or step back taking responsibility of their failures. That is what you call strong characters serving people . Only God fearing rulers can be democratic. Till then, Pakistan ain't going anywhere to change into a progressive state.

Mohammad Ali Siddiqui | 12 years ago | Reply

With few exceptions of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, middle and lower level government servants the entire nation is cursing Asif Ali Zardari as he is responsible of unprecedented high inflation in the country and not a single extra ordinary measure has been taken by PPP government to uplift the condition of a common man in Pakistan.

How President’s health will improve when the entire nation is cursing on him.

sam | 12 years ago | Reply

evidances will be given to court by Ijaz. Why one person is running away.he has left the country,he has not submited a response to the court. all this creates doubts.

Mirza | 12 years ago | Reply @NADIR ALI: Unsigned and unproven piece of paper is a matter of morality and sovreignty of country, but having OBL in an army base is not? Immoral is the game that these paid public servants are playing with the whole world by providing safe havens to terrorists from all over the world. It is about time the PCO SC and CJ take stern action against the generals instead of justfying yet again their assult on democracy. If the current govt is bad, it is the people's choice and they would make a change. Let us not throw the baby with the bathwater. Regards, Mirza

Ahmad | 12 years ago | Reply

I don't think Zardari is returning back soon,.,,

Ch Allah Daad | 12 years ago | Reply

If top brass has decided to conquer us once again, then they should not waste time. We are tired of waiting. Its more painful than actual conquest. President is sick and he will not recover until two top brass retire.

Hairaan | 12 years ago | Reply

Read this news along with the other two:

President Zardari is fit - Shamsul Hassan

Presidency staff, around 15 people, have been flown to Dubai to arrange meetings and media coverage for the president. Please note that this is in addition to 15 who accompanied him.

All this reminds me of the school days when we used to make our health an excuse to avoid submitting assignments and tutorials.

Acorn Guts | 12 years ago | Reply

Why let the 'fake piece of paper' turn into a high-profile stain in our nation's history? Non-compliance has never helped the innocent, we all know that. I see a lot of bones in the closets and several cats in the bag are yet to come out.

NADIR ALI | 12 years ago | Reply

There must be clear and impartial proceding regarding the issue and responsibles should face the stern music becouse the issue is about the sovreignty of country and moral devaluaion of our troops

Replying to X