Memogate commission: Proceedings adjourned till Supreme Court issues order
Haqqani, former ambassador to US, was summoned today, but he challenged the summon and submitted an application in the Supreme Court to have his statement recorded abroad via video link, as was done in the case of Ijaz.
During the proceeding, Haqqani’s counsel Zahid Bukhari told the commission that his client has gone to America from London, but cannot come to Pakistan as his life is in danger.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa, heading the commission, remarked that if the former ambassador of the country is not safe then how a common man could be safe in the country.
Bukhari maintained that Haqqani is facing threats from the agencies which Mansoor Ijaz had earlier revealed of having contacts with. Justice Isa responded by saying that this way, Haqqani must not be safe in any part of the world.
During the proceeding, Bukhari gave three options to the commission for future proceedings. The options said that the commission should either exempt Haqqani from further proceedings in view of his earlier submitted statements or wait for the Supreme Court to pass its order in the application filed.
Yasin Malik records his statements
Muhammad Yasin Malik, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), also appeared before the commission to clear allegations made against him by Mansoor Ijaz.
Ijaz had alleged that Malik had arranged his meeting with Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief. In response to the allegations, Malik had requested the Supreme Court to make him a party to the case.
The commission allowed Malik to record his statements, as earlier he was ordered to only submit a written statement.
Malik told the commission that Ijaz tried to cheat him into meeting a ‘suspicious’ person in Haryana. He added that during a seminar in Haryana, Ijaz used ‘derogatory’ words towards Muslims, which irked him and he threw a shoe at him.
Later that night, Ijaz called him several times but he did not attend his calls. He picked his 11th call, in which Ijaz apologised to him and said that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto wanted to talk to him, detailed Malik.
Speaking to the media on Monday morning, Malik said that he has come to the commission personally and has not hired any lawyer as there is “no need to lie”.
“I don’t want a lawyer who would do his job of turning lies into truth and truth into lies. God willingly, truth will prevail,” he said.
COMMENTS (21)
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@Mirza...
welcome to ET with a different name... just like your leader, you can only come with such "ingenious" ideas as to comment from two different names...
come on... MI is the witness...state is the prosecutor and HH along with AZ is the perpetrator..whats so tricky in all this? it does not matter whether the witness is credible or not... what matters is he has some serious allegations against HH and instead of disproving the allegations, what HH and all the jiyalas like you are doing is to question the credibility of the judges and the witness...come on...grow up... these tactics are not going to work in any courtroom of the world... so stick to the basics and prove your innocence with solid proofs...who is going to believe HH when he says he lost his black berry and he does not remember his PIN? come on...
@Ehsan Shah: Thanks a lot for making sense and explain the facts. In every case there is prosecution, defense, witness and judge. They cannot be the same and do their respective jobs. In this case who is the prosecutor? Who is the witness? Who are the neutral judges? Who has actually committed the alleged crime? In the Memogate scam the judges have become prosecutor too. Their whole case is based upon the confessed actor of the crime and the star witness of the case. This witness is an open enemy of Pakistan, army, govt, and Kashmiri freedom fighters. With the help of their only witness who actually has committed all the action and has no credibility they are framing the elected govt. Thanks again and regards, Mirza
Hi Judges, still under the pressure of establishment. They are only brave and upright to get their PM hanged. Even ordinary citizen of our country knows that Memo is a brain child of one who is now gone with the wind. HH's reservation/apprehensions must be addressed more than what was done for MI.
there is some thing in between. Memo is there and both are involved. About Zahid Bokhari i can say that he is US lawer,as he was also lawyer in Raman-da-Vas case.
Clueless is the word for these judges as manifested by their own remarks and random actions. Failure to follow through is another hallmark of this judiciary. Its amazing how an "artist" like Ijaz can dazzle everybody from the DG ISI thru Nawaz Sharif to the most superior judiciary. And the common is like......."What the............?"
The present day legal systems have so many frivilous provisions that justice will nover be done. They will keep on dragging their feet till eternity or till it loses its meaning completely. It has become a cheap soap opera.
@Mirza... given your one million previous comments against the SC, its useless to argue with you..but the constitution and law of a country is only binding on its own citizen...the commission had to give relaxations to MI because he is not a Pakistani citizen and only a witness so for the cause of justice, the court had to give him relaxation..on the other hand HH is supposed to be Pakistani national and he gave a guarantee to appear to the commission on 4 days notice...now he is making excuses which is tantamount to be contempt of the commission and the SC will deal with him and his masters...
@truebluepakistani: Absolutely agree. put this man behind bars and bar him from leaving the country! In fact, take the whole hurriet group, including gillani, mirwaiz and all their cronies! Judiciary are asking lawyers how can an ordinary pakistani be safe if HH is not safe???? what kind of judiciary is this?? In anycase, judiciary can interview HH in london too. Why be partial only to MI? trully the theatre of the absurd, when judiciary is taking serious cognisance to words spoken by foreign citizens like Malik and MI!
So what did Yasin Malik testify?
He has come to the commission personally and has not hired any lawyer as there is “no need to lie”
This sums up lawyers today quite accurately.
First he excused a heart problem to travel to Islamabad,now raising the security reason.He should not have security fears because the executive protected him, is protecting him and shall protect as long as it needs to. And above all he has lost his BBs, forgotten pin codes and all invoices relating to his lost BBs have disappeared from the Pak Embassay. How convenient are all these things. Even an infant can say that he is GUILTY.
The most Candid truth reveled by Mr Malik
"I don’t want a lawyer who would do his job of turning lies into truth and truth into lies. God willingly, truth will prevail,”
Well done
ET don't give space to this memo, mehran, contempt cases, nothing good will come out of them, what a waste of tax payers money and time
sick of the term "video link"....the correct should be "Video conferencing" which is used globally....
All, starting from Zardari, Galani uptill Haqani, are Hypocrite.It is true that "Truth will Prevail" but till that time Lie would have taken everything away. We are waiting for IMRAN KHAN.
The remark by the judge that if the ex ambassador is not safe then how will a common man be safe in pakistan reflects the intelklectual depth of our judiciary.
Don't send Malik back to India, let him stay here please.
The judges and media have already determined the innocence of Mansoor Ijaz and gave him a VIP treatment which no enemy of Pakistan has gotten in the entire history. By not giving equal treatment to HH, the court has announced its decision not in so many words. When MI with all his wealth and love in the army/judiciary can be exempted then why not HH who is hated by many rightwing? In addition a so called Kashmiri freedom fighter Yasin has been thrown under the bus for the love of MI. So much for the freedom of Kashmir and principles!
That’s for the Justice to ponder upon not the counsel for Haqani.