Memogate row: Mansoor Ijaz due on Monday
Military authorities will be looking after Ijaz’s security.
ISLAMABAD:
American businessman of Pakistani descent Manssor Ijaz, the whistleblower of the Memogate scandal, is likely to arrive in Pakistan on Monday.
“Arrangements have been finalized for his chartered flight (at Chaklala airbase),” an official source told The Express Tribune. The source added that the military authorities would be looking after Ijaz’s security arrangements.
A three-member judicial commission, headed by the Balochistan High Court chief justice, is due to resume hearing of the memo case on Monday.
“Ijaz is an American national but mostly he lives in Morocco. Right now, he is somewhere in Europe,” the source claimed.
Since Islamabad’s joining the US-led war on terror, Pakistani authorities have been issuing visas to US nationals, mainly American servicemen, at the port of entry under a secret arrangement, sources said.
Ijaz might also be offered the same facility if he hasn’t applied for a Pakistani visa thus far, another official said. “In special circumstances, US businessmen can avail this facility,” he added.
“Ijaz has asked his counsel not to disclose his travel plans. And the arrangements are being kept secret,” the official said.
The official said that some of Ijaz’s close associates will be accompanying him and they will be flown in a helicopter to the commission hearing from Chaklala airbase.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2012.
American businessman of Pakistani descent Manssor Ijaz, the whistleblower of the Memogate scandal, is likely to arrive in Pakistan on Monday.
“Arrangements have been finalized for his chartered flight (at Chaklala airbase),” an official source told The Express Tribune. The source added that the military authorities would be looking after Ijaz’s security arrangements.
A three-member judicial commission, headed by the Balochistan High Court chief justice, is due to resume hearing of the memo case on Monday.
“Ijaz is an American national but mostly he lives in Morocco. Right now, he is somewhere in Europe,” the source claimed.
Since Islamabad’s joining the US-led war on terror, Pakistani authorities have been issuing visas to US nationals, mainly American servicemen, at the port of entry under a secret arrangement, sources said.
Ijaz might also be offered the same facility if he hasn’t applied for a Pakistani visa thus far, another official said. “In special circumstances, US businessmen can avail this facility,” he added.
“Ijaz has asked his counsel not to disclose his travel plans. And the arrangements are being kept secret,” the official said.
The official said that some of Ijaz’s close associates will be accompanying him and they will be flown in a helicopter to the commission hearing from Chaklala airbase.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2012.