News
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
SC orders foolproof security for Haqqani in Pakistan* Asma Jahangir seeks assurance MI, ISI won’t arrest former ambassador
By Hasnaat Malik
ISLAMABAD: Hearing controversial memogate case, a nine-member Supreme Court (SC) bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, on Tuesday directed the Interior Ministry to ensure foolproof security for Husain Haqqani upon his arrival, during stay and departure from Pakistan.
On the other hand, the interior secretary asked Asma Jahangir, counsel for Haqqani, to apply for providing security to the former ambassador to the US upon his arrival in Pakistan for hearing of the case. Interior Secretary Khawaja Sadiq Akbar told the court that they could arrange security for Haqqani after assessing the level and nature of threats to him.Till date, he added, he was unaware of threats and danger to the former ambassador and asked Asma to give an application for providing security to Haqqani.
Asma said that now the ministry was asking her to give an application for providing security to Haqqani, asking, “Why Yousaf Raza Gilani’s government had kept Haqqani in the Prime Minister’s House when he was in Pakistan?”
She also sought the ministry’s assurance that MI and ISI would not arrest her client.
Asma asked the court if it would issue arrest warrants for Haqqani if he does not appear before the bench.
The chief justice stated Haqqani has to appear before the court. The court later adjourned the hearing until first week of January 2013 on Asma’s request. On December 1, 2011, the court had formed a commission to probe the authenticity and purpose of creating/drafting of a memo for delivering it to former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.
According to the commission’s findings, “It has been incontrovertibly established that the memorandum was authentic and Mr Haqqani, former ambassador of Pakistan in USA, was the originator and architect of the memorandum. Mr Haqqani sought American help; he also wanted to create a niche for himself making himself forever indispensable to the Americans. He lost sight of the fact that he is a Pakistani citizen and Pakistan’s ambassador to the USA, and therefore his loyalty could only be to Pakistan.”
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk