The judicial commission probing the so-called ‘memogate’ scandal has sent its secretary to the UK to question Mansoor Ijaz.
Secretary for the memo commission, Raja Jawad Abbas, left on Sunday morning to accept evidence and record the statements of the Pakistani-American businessman.
Ijaz will record his statements on Wednesday, February 22 at the Pakistan High Commission in London. Although the businessman had submitted his witness statement to the commission, he will be quizzed via videoconferencing by the defendant, other petitioners as well as other members of the commission.
Earlier this week, he had submitted an 83-page statement to the judicial commission through his counsel in Pakistan, Advocate Akram Sheikh.
In his statement, he confirmed his meeting with ISI Director-General Ahmad Shuja Pasha in London in October last year.
Ijaz has also given details of his interaction with President Asif Ali Zardari in May 2009 at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington DC. The businessman said he had been invited by former ambassador Hussain Haqqani.
About his relationship with Haqqani, Ijaz wrote that they regularly maintained in contact over the past decade through e-mail, BlackBerry messenger and personal meetings.
Apart from his witness statement, Ijaz requested the commission for an in-camera briefing to record certain comments, which he claimed were not appropriate to be disclosed to others.
In December last year, while hearing a petition of former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif, the Supreme Court had constituted a three-member judicial commission to probe the matter.
The court had appointed Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa as chairman of the commission and Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Mushir Alam as its members.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2012.
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NRO case, Contempt of court case, memo scandal, Prime minister and the president has been busy in the stated above cases, due to which they remained enable to draw attention on other matters.
Monsoor Ijaz star witness in the memogate ,refused to come and attend the commission's proceeding,He demanded commission come to him and record his statement. In the first instance, commission disagreed with proposal and over ruled the demand and subsequently prepared to go there,and written statement is being recorded because star witness forgot his statement due to long standing period in between,so he was allowed to record his testimony from the written paper.
Objection was raised on it but over ruled, Defense Counsel wanted to cross questioning on the star witness, but he could not reach London in time.
Justice must be seen,justice is being done,but the train esteeming off the track leading to the station named injustice.
It has appeared on the record, Blackberry refused to provide the record attributed to conversation between Ijaz and Haqqani. Now the question herein is that which document would corroborate the star witness's statement?
On the other hand, Haqqani's counsel wanted to cross examine,but no opportunity provided to him. As a defense counsel he has legal right to do so.Visa was not issued in time also.
Without cross examination,in any criminal case,the witness's statement is not acceptable.
According to my personal view this case has no credibility.and liable to dismiss the same thinking it a mischief of a foreigner.
Star witness's statement recorded by the commission after covering a long distance has no credibility as being understood by some concerned quarters.
We must adopt a procedure at the level of International Court of Justice and UNO level to use coding system for witnesses and they should not be exposed to corrupt. criminal terrorist and killers labelled as corruption houses not accepting any laws , any decisions , seriousl;y violating humen rights , carrying out excessive corruption operations kicking around to digest their corruption. Senior Lawyers selling out their respect concious and everything just for corrution of Rs 30 Crores seat being sold.
My friends when will you people reliase that Zardari is in the pockets of the USA. He may huff and buff against the USA but that is just an act to fool the dumb Pakistani public. In reality Zardari and his corrupt PPP are just acting in the long term interest of the USA and in return they are given all advice and help to loot and pilage Pakistan.
It was a very important case related to our national security. But unfortunately the truth will never be revealed. Main accused has already left Pakistan for US and The Government of Pakistan has taken massive measures to stall the inquiry. Vital time has already been lost.
judicial commission must demonstrate top priority to this case because the top responsible people are involved in covert conspiracy against country. we have sacrifices our interests for others. the current regime on one hand is claiming not to be used for others interest and close allay of USA but on the other hand doing blunders by exercising full support to Iran and thus again becoming "bakara" for others interest. thats why US congress raised the Balochistan issue for so-called rights of Balouch nation. It seems that Gilani Zardari are repeating the same story as our previouse leaders done in Afghan policy.
Will they be sending someone to interview Kasab and take his testimony. Uptil now the legal issue was that testimony in a foreign land does not count - however since the rule was bent for Ijaz, why not for Kasab ?
Judicial commission has quite an appetite for foreign trips. No other reason for going abroad!
I hope Raja Jawad Abbas was thoroughly checked and searched before boarding for UK. He might be carrying some fabricated material as is evident from the rush, urgency and unbelievable interest our establishment is showing in this case.