Never denied having contacts with Ijaz: Haqqani
Haqqani, through his counsel Sajid Tanoli, submitted a written reply and copies of his telephone bills from May to November 2011 to the commission investigating the “memogate” scandal.
Making known their intention to contest, and rebut every point raised by Mansoor Ijaz, Haqqani's counsel claimed that the Blackberry messages were dismissible.
The former Ambassador added that he never denied having contacts with Ijaz, but he never discussed any memo with him either.
One of Haqqani's counsel while talking to The Express Tribune said that the former Ambassador's legal team will be flying to London on Tuesday, quoted a statement from Ijaz's sworn testimony, that the latter had admitted to conveying the memo to General James Jones without any instructions from the former Ambassador.
Hence, Haqqani argued, there was nothing more left in the case, and further proceedings should be scuppered.
Commission wants Haqqani's reply, Pin codes, phone bills
The Judicial Commission probing the Memo issue on Friday directed Husain Haqqani to submit a response on the evidence provided against him and to provide the commission copies of bills of his cellular communication, along with his BlackBerry Pin codes, in writing which he had used between March and November, 2011, by March 15.
Government of Pakistan and Haqqani were also ordered to produce the copies of mobile phone bills which were used by Haqqani during the period between March 2011 and November. The Commission also directed the GoP as well as Haqqani to provide detailed information in writing of his numbers which he used in that period, ownership of handsets, names of the service provider and all cell phones.
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@Mirza: An active political envoy of Pakistan in the US keeps communication open with everybody interested in Pakistan.
That active envoy of Pakistan did not have communications with ordinary Pakistanis sending hundreds of millions from that country.
@Mirza: According to the law Baramdagh Bugti et al are also innocent unless proved guilty. And every accused is so. Then why handcuff teh accused? Why keep them in solitary confinement etc.?
@ayesha: mr zogby concocted his own job description of what a spy agency chief's job description is. Hilarious! And he has the nerve to write his comments In to one of the most respected news forums in Pakistan read nationally as well as internationally.
Unless the corruption is rooted out, nothing can be achieved. Whether courts hear non-issues or real issues, whether we build dams, power plants or not. If the corruption is there, no matter what you build, it will be drained....
Courts can listen as many cases as they want.. Nothing is going to happen until the corrupt leadership (the whole political/military brass) is thrown away!
@Adam Zogby: "ISI Chief only went to Mansur after allegations about Haqqani were made – that is what his job is"
No. That is NOT what his job is. Technically he reports to the Prime Minister (whenever the army wants Parliament to take ownership they always say, we report to the Parliament) and he should not be spying on the Prime Minister. His trip was not authorized by anyone either.
Even if the President and Prime Minister were planning to remove the army chief, that is their constitutional right. It is not a conspiracy. IT is however a conspiracy AND against the constitution when army chief removes a Prime Minister - and that has happened several times and there has been NO accountability.
This whole Memogate episode has only served to damage Pakistan's interests. Haqqani was a very efficient diplomat and I doubt if anyone could have handled better the most difficult situation for Pakistan that followed the elimination of OBL. I have watched him on CNN few times. He kept a confident but calm posture and defended Pakistan's interests effectively. Loosing him is a loss for Pakistan. Blame USA, UK, NATO, Israel, India and Afghanistan all you want. When it comes to harming the interests of Pakistan, no one can do it better than Pakistan and its army itself.
An active political envoy of Pakistan in the US keeps communication open with everybody interested in Pakistan. M. Ijaz has written so much about Pakistan and spoke on the TV so many times that he became a factor on Pak/US relationship. HH has always given priority to people interested in Paksitan and worked to change their outlook. Not engaging is not an option especially after 9/11 and OBL in Abbottabad, when HH single handedly defended Pakistan and its armed forces in the US.
@Mirza: I envy the judges who can afford the luxury of focusing on what the people of their country think are essentially non-issues. Their salaries come out of the taxpayers' money.
@Pakistan politics:
True. So why was he forced to resign without an enquiry which establshed his innocence/guilt?
OBVIOUSLY the army insisted on it.
ISI Chief only went to Mansur after allegations about Haqqani were made - that is what his job is. So Haqqani did meet Mansur Ijaz at the time the memo was being drafted. The latest confession by Haqqani actually embarrases Zardari and co. Just wait for more Haqqani soon.
@Adam Zogby: "So what was Haqqani doing in keeping contacts with a man who is disreputable, openly anti-Pakistan army/ISI, had a hand in ousting BB’s last govt. "
The ISI chief also went all the way to meet him. Keeping in touch with people is not a crime. What Haqqani was accused of was that he dicteated the memo. Mansoor Ejaz in his own sworn testimony says that the memo was sent to Jim Jones without clearing with Haqqani. So then what is Haqqani accused of?
We Pakistanis talk about law and constitution as if they've came just gave their bar exams. Let the judges decide, no one could possibly no more about the law than the commission.
@Mirza - I wonder what u have to do with "PCO style judges" comment.
So what was Haqqani doing in keeping contacts with a man who is disreputable, openly anti-Pakistan army/ISI, had a hand in ousting BB's last govt. This is all according to what PPP says. So explain Mr Haqqani??
Innocent until proven
Haqqani should be in jail.
@Moammad Ali Siddiqui: According to the law HH is innocent till proven guilty. The burden of proof is not on him but the prosecution which in this case are the "judges". The judges and prosecution are the same for justice PCO style. Regards, Mirza
This is the most burning issue in Pakistan and all judges of SC and three CJ of Hight Courts should coninue to waste their time and nation's wealth in chasing the US double agent at all costs. Forget about the dozens of murders and dumping of bodies, forget about the Abbottabad, Mehran Base, poverty, injustices, healthcare fiasco, power shortage, and other cases rotting in courts. This Memo and the imaginary memo that courts want PM to write are the only issues for the PCO judges.
Pakistanis wants that Hussain Haqqani should give reply with full force and concrete evidences to Memo Schandal Commission to prove that allegations levelled by Mansoor Ejaz were baseless and wrong.