Memo Commission probing the alleged memo written by Hussain Haqqani to
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen has adjourned the further
recording of the statement of key character Mansoor Ijaz till today
(Thursday) at 2:00 PM; meanwhile Mansoor Ijaz has said that Hussain
Haqqani dictated the memogate.
The proceedings of the commission were continued for five years as
the commission was recording the statement of Mansoor via video link
from Pakistani High London. The commission on the suggestion of Attorney
General for Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq adjourned the further hearing
of the commission till 2:00 PM today (Thursday).
The Judicial Commission headed by Chief Justice Balochistan High
Court Qazi Faiz Isa, while other two members are Chief Justice Sindh
High Court, Musheer Alam and Chief Justice Islamabad High Court, Iqbal
Hameed-ur-Rehman is probing the memogate.
The counsel of the Mansoor, Akram Sheikh ensured the commission that
his client would record the remaining statement today (Thursday).
While recording the statement Mansoor said that the memo was dictated by Haqqani.
Mansoor submitted his Testimony, meanwhile recording the statement he
said that Haqqani had told him the memo was being prepared on the
orders of the President Zardari, adding that General James asked me to
provide him the information in written form.
The head of the Memo Commission Justice Faiz Essa said that it is the duty of the commission to find truth.
The commission miffed over on the repeated intervention of Haqqani’s
lawyer Zahid Hussain Bukhaqri, in the recording of the Mansoor
statement.
The lawyer of Haqqani said that the statement should be recorded
according to the law, adding that it is not way of recording the
statement.
Mansoor in start of recording of statement took oath and said that he
couldn’t speak Urdu and would record statement in English. Manssor said
the name of his father was Majaddad Ahmed Ijaz and address was of
Virginia state of US.
Mansoor on oath said that “if I would speak lie Almighty Allah punish him”.
He said that I was born in 1961, adding that he was citizen of US and bound to follow the US law.
Qazi Faiz Essa asked Bukhari not intervene the proceedings
repeatedly, adding that you are not assisting the commission by doing
this.
Mansoor said that I had held meetings with President Zardari, Parvez
Musharraf and former DG ISI General Ahsanul Haq, adding that he had met
with Gen Ahsan in 2003, adding that he had met with Musharraf in 2005 or
2006.
He said that the meeting with Zardari was held in 2009 on the
invitation of Hussain Haqqani, adding that the meeting with Zardari
lasted for one hour, adding that the exact date of the meeting is not
remembered by him, adding that he met with Hussain Haqqani after holding
meeting with Zardari.
Mansoor said that he has been contact with Pakistani officials from last 10 years.
The commission directed Mansoor to show the black berry to secretary memo commission prior to reading out any message.
Mansoor Ijaz handed over the documental evidences to Secretary Memo
Commission Raja Jawwad Abbass prior to recording the statement.
Mansoor Ijaz said that the meeting with DG ISI Ahmed Shuja Pasha was
held through an ISI official, adding that meeting with Pasha was held on
22nd October, adding that Pasha wanted to knew which kind of relations I
had with Haqqani.
He said that the submitted statement should be considered as verbal statement.
Mansoor Ijaz handed over the black berry to the secretary memo
commission; meanwhile the pin code of the black berry was also given to
the commission.
Mansoor showed the message of contacting Haqqani which he made on 9th
May at 12:30; meanwhile the chief of the commission Qazi Faiz Essa
asked Secretary Commission to check the message and after that Mansoor
showed the message to Jawwad Abbas. Memo commission Directed Secretary
Commission to show the message on the screen of the video link.
Mansoor said Haqqani told him army is intended to take over the
government, adding Haqqani asked me to made telephonic call, adding that
I was in Monaco and Haqqani was in London, adding that Haqqani told him
he came to London for 26 hour. He said that Haqqani told him that the
army is pressurizing president and prime minister.
Mansoor said Haqqani asked me to inform US officials that General
Ashfaq Kayani should be removed, adding that Haqqani feared that if it
would come in knowledge of General Kayani there would be situation of
1971, adding that Haqqani asked to inform US that they should use
influence against Kayani.
Mansoor said I asked Haqqani to whom the message is delivered upon
this Haqqani told him that our first priority is Admiral Mike Mullen.
Mansoor submitted three pages record consisting on telephonic calls
between him and Hussain Haqqani; meanwhile Mansoor also provided the
bill of his telephone.
He said that the proposed security team names were major gen (retd)
Mehmood Durrani and general (retd) Jehangir Karamat; meanwhile the
lawyer of Haqqani, Zahid Bukhari objected over the hand written
evidences. Mansoor said Haqqani told him that he was dictating memo on
the direction of Zardari.
Mansoor said it was decided that the code word for the US officials
was Isphahani and Friends was for Pakistanis and Boss and Friend for
President Zardari.
The commission directed Mansoor to not do cross talk during the recording of the statement.
Zahid Bukhari, the counsel for Hussain Haqqani, the former ambassador
to the United States, protested at the frequent use of mobile phone by
Ijaz during the proceeding.
Justice Essa said an action would be taken on this. Earlier, Bukhari
had also raised objections over the procedure of recording the
testimony.
The commission had snubbed Bukhari for interfering during the proceedings.
Attorney general raised objection on the recording of statement
through video link, adding that the secretary commission is legal expert
and not the forensic expert, adding forensic expert should be appointed
to verify the messages.
Secretary Memo Commission Raja Jawad Abbas and Lawyer of Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Rashid A Rizvi and Mustafa Ramday were
present at London High Commission while Husain Haqqani’s counsel Zahid
Bukhari and Mansor Ijaz’s lawyer Akram Sheikh were present in Islamabad
High Court. SANA
