Memogate scandal: President cleared of direct involvement

Not a shred of evidence that Zardari authorised memo’s preparation.

ISLAMABAD:

Days after the Memogate commission found Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani guilty of preparing the memorandum seeking the Obama administration’s help to avert a military takeover, it exonerated President Asif Ali Zardari from any direct involvement in the scandal that rocked the government.

The commission conceded in its final report on Saturday that “no evidence was produced before us that would indicate that President Asif Ali Zardari had either authorised the preparation of the memorandum, or directed that it be sent to the American administration.”

Mansoor Ijaz, the American businessman of Pakistani ancestary, who alleged that Haqqani had asked him to deliver the confidential memo to then-US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, failed to satisfy the commission that President Zardari had prior knowledge of the memorandum, the report says.

The commission, however, mentioned that “it was also our considered view that Haqqani led Ijaz into believing that the memo had the authority of President Zardari.”

However, it did not find any evidence that he had either authorised the preparation of the memo, or directed that it be sent to the American administration, adding that “Ijaz also confessed he does not have any validating proof to support his claim.”

The commission discussed claims made by Ijaz, who testified that “… [Haqqani] said that it was coming from the President of Pakistan, who wanted to put together a new national security team similar to the one of the US. I agreed to help Haqqani and asked him what the message was he wanted to be conveyed?”

He further stated during the proceedings that “[Haqqani] then said that in view of the sensitivity of the matter, any subsequent communication between us regarding the memo should be referred to as ‘Ispahani’,” referring to Haqqani’s wife Farahnaz Ispahani, “and if referring to the Pakistani government, then the term ‘friends’ should be used.”

The commission had sent a questionnaire to Ijaz, asking him if he could corroborate his claims with any other person, including Zardari. He confessed that he had no documentary proof, but he only relied on and accepted Haqqani’s word that he had the president’s approval.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2012.