Memogate commission: Proceedings adjourned till Supreme Court issues order
Commission adjourns proceedings till Supreme Court passes order regarding Haqqani's application.
ISLAMABAD:
The judicial commission probing the Memogate scandal adjourned the proceedings till the Supreme Court passes its orders in Husain Haqqani's application to have his statement recorded via video link.
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.
The judicial commission probing the Memogate scandal adjourned the proceedings till the Supreme Court passes its orders in Husain Haqqani's application to have his statement recorded via video link.
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.