News
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Mansoor Ijaz could be placed on ECL: Malik* Says Ministry of Interior responsible for providing security to Pak-American businessman
* Parliament to decide on NATO supply
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday Mansoor Ijaz’s name would be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) if the parliamentary committee investigating the memo scandal orders so.
“I cannot disobey directives of the committee,” the minister said after reviewing progress on development of Public Corner at F-9 Park. He said the prime minister would soon open the 80-kanal facility that has been spared for public events.
Malik said the parliamentary committee has summoned Mansoor Ijaz for his testimony and “if he does not appear before it, the committee can direct the government to put his name on the ECL”.
He said the Interior Ministry, and not the army or the ISI, would provide protection to the Pakistani-American businessman. He said the ISI is an intelligence agency and not a security organisation. “If army’s security is needed for someone, there is a constitutional way to arrange it,” he said.
Malik said the counsel for Mansoor Ijaz would have to provide details of his client’s engagements in Pakistan so that security arrangements could be made accordingly. He said a meeting of ministries of defence and interior and attorney general would be held in the next couple of days to discuss security for Mansoor Ijaz.
The minister said PPP leader Raja Riaz wanted to become party in the parliamentary committee to ask Mansoor Ijaz about his involvement in “conspiracies against the government, army and ISI”. He said the government would implement the decision of parliament with regard to the reopening of NATO supplies.
Rehman Malik said he has no information about the presence of a Norwegian intelligence network in Pakistan, adding that a report would be presented in parliament on the issue after a thorough investigation. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk