ISLAMABAD: The central character in the memo scandal, American
businessman Mansoor Ijaz said on Friday that the parliamentary committee
probing the case cannot summon him because he is not Pakistan national,
media reported.
Expressing reservations on appearing before the
parliamentary committee, Ijaz said that his legal adviser is reviewing
the notice of parliamentary committee that had summoned him.
“I
will go to Pakistan at every cost,” he said. However, he did not confirm
his appearance before the parliamentary panel that is parallel probing
the memogate issue.
The US citizen said that he was considering
taking up the matter with the Supreme Court of Pakistan and that he will
decide whether he will appear before the committee or not. The
committee has summoned Mansoor Ijaz on January 26.
He also
claimed that he had played a key role in the return of Benazir Bhutto to
Pakistan. Mansoor’s counsel Akram Sheikh has confirmed that he will
appear before the judicial commission investigating the memo scandal on
January 24.
Earlier on Thursday, Mansoor Ijaz was granted a one
year multiple-entry visa to Pakistan. The American businessman had
visited the Pakistan High Commission in London, where he was granted the
visa.
Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik had earlier said
that he cannot guarantee if Ijaz will be arrested on his arrival or not.
Rehman had said that he will follow court orders in this regard.
However,
the interior minister had said that he will provide complete security
to him from the time he lands in Islamabad to his entire stay.
Speaking
to media outside the Parliament House on Friday, Malik said the
question would also be raised as to why Mansoor Ijaz wrote articles
against the Pakistan Army and the ISI.
Replying a query about
Ijaz’s possible stay in Pakistan, the minister said he should not leave
the country unless the memo tribunal allowed him to leave.
Responding
to another question regarding presence of Norwegian secret agents on
Pakistani soil, Rehman Malik said it was the responsibility of the ISI
and IB to detect the presence of such agents. However, he said that he
would inform the house on the issue after collecting details. Online
