Key witness in the Memogate scandal Mansoor Ijaz has said that journalists, media companies and bloggers in Pakistan have engaged in a ’slander campaign’ against him.
In an email to The Express Tribune, the Pakistani-American businessman said that he would redress every allegation against him and would rebut the ‘falsehoods’. Last week, Ijaz appeared at the Pakistan High Commission in London for three days to testify before a judicial commission investigating the origins, purpose and authenticity of a controversial memo.
Testifying via live video link before the commission in Islamabad, Ijaz said he delivered the secret memo seeking American help to avert a feared coup after former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani told him it was from the president.
Ijaz stated that Haqqani dictated the content, edited the written version and authorised the transmission of the Memo with the approval of his ‘boss’.
“I placed on the record, under objection from the opposing counsel at every possible turn, the data in my possession including handwritten notes, BlackBerry chat exchanges, e-mails and telephone call logs of my interactions with former ambassador Husain Haqqani and others who worked with me to transmit the message he had asked me to get to Adm Mike Mullen,” Ijaz wrote in the email. He further said that Haqqani failed to provide any evidence, such as his email account or BlackBerry devices, to refute Ijaz’s claims.
Ijaz further claimed that Haqqani is using “Pakistan’s media machinery to run a disinformation campaign” against him. He added that he would deal with the “false allegations, incorrect facts and slanderous comments” with news outlet and blogger legally and directly.
“For the moment, we remain focused on bringing the full truth and nothing but the truth on the record. It is that truth which Mr Haqqani and his ‘boss’ fear and that is why they continue to slander and malign me in every way possible,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 29th, 2012.
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By blaming Media Mansoor Ijaz is trying to win sympathy of Pakistani nation and world. It is not Govt of Pakistan that controls media. It is not character assassination but true face of Mansoor Ijaz. Character matters much and it is responsibility of media to unveil the personality playing with future of democracy in Pakistan. Mansoor Ijaz is once again playing politics through media statements on the issue of Memo currently being probed by a high powered commission in Pakistan. US citizen himself decided to get involved in Pakistani politics and was now seemingly worried about the media scrutiny of his character and financial dealings in the international media as well as the Pakistani media. It is natural for the media to examine characters in a controversy and our client. Whatever Mansoor Ijaz may or may not have done in his life, whether commenting in a nude video or being the subject of judicial decisions over bank loan defaults only reflects who he is and if the media here or abroad is looking into it he needs to respond to the substance of the charges instead of blaming us without proof of responsibility for its publication.
Mansoor, My nation is in a sorry state. They have no trust on any one, except than those who go to jail or being punished. If you get punished ( even though you are a US citizen), you will earn the sympathy of the people whose own ambassador was conspiring against the country's only line of defense (its army).
You can't take the heat - stay out of the kitchen.
Mansoor Ijaz, you are a fraud. You are Pakistan's number one enemy. Nobody will believe you were writing memos due to any goodness in your heart! Stick to your financial frauds in the US and entertain the ignorant crowd watching Fox News' Bill O'Reily and CNN's Wolf Blitzer. You are better at that.
Ijaz is Pure Angel . . . Media is Naughty . . . . Ha..Ha..Ha..Ha...!!!!