Memogate: Documentary evidence of possible coup, US helicopter movement, handed over
Mansoor Ijaz hands over documentary evidence. Says he had Haqqani's fears of coup verified through foreign agencies.
LONDON/ISLAMABAD:
Mansoor Ijaz handed over documentary proofs of a possible military takeover, with details of air control, movement of US helicopters and a conversation between President Asif Ali Zardari and Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Express News reported on Thursday.
Responding to a question raised by the Memogate commission via video link, Ijaz said that he had first met Zardari in 1995 and then again in 2009. “Husain Haqqani had also emailed me for a third meeting [with Zardari],” he added.
Ijaz further said he again got in touch with Haqqani after Osama bin Laden’s death. He said that the former US Ambassador [Haqqani] had said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the army would never believe in the possibility of a memo reaching Admiral Mike Mullen through James Jones.
He said that after the publication his op-ed in the Financial Times, Husain Haqqani called him. Ijaz said that he told Haqqani that his op-ed must have caused the Ambassador some discomfort. Haqqani then confided to him that the information contained in the article was accurate, however, none of it could be publically admitted.
Ijaz added in his testimony that after the Abbottabad incident, Haqqani had approached him, citing fears that the Military in Pakistan was moving for a coup over the democratically elected government. To confirm what Haqqani was telling him, Ijaz said that he used his contacts with the intelligence agencies of different countries to verify this information. The findings were documented.
Justice Faiz Essa sealed the documents with directives for it to be handed over to the secretary of the commission.
Mansoor Ijaz handed over documentary proofs of a possible military takeover, with details of air control, movement of US helicopters and a conversation between President Asif Ali Zardari and Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Express News reported on Thursday.
Responding to a question raised by the Memogate commission via video link, Ijaz said that he had first met Zardari in 1995 and then again in 2009. “Husain Haqqani had also emailed me for a third meeting [with Zardari],” he added.
Ijaz further said he again got in touch with Haqqani after Osama bin Laden’s death. He said that the former US Ambassador [Haqqani] had said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the army would never believe in the possibility of a memo reaching Admiral Mike Mullen through James Jones.
He said that after the publication his op-ed in the Financial Times, Husain Haqqani called him. Ijaz said that he told Haqqani that his op-ed must have caused the Ambassador some discomfort. Haqqani then confided to him that the information contained in the article was accurate, however, none of it could be publically admitted.
Ijaz added in his testimony that after the Abbottabad incident, Haqqani had approached him, citing fears that the Military in Pakistan was moving for a coup over the democratically elected government. To confirm what Haqqani was telling him, Ijaz said that he used his contacts with the intelligence agencies of different countries to verify this information. The findings were documented.
Justice Faiz Essa sealed the documents with directives for it to be handed over to the secretary of the commission.