Zahid Bukhari suggests three options to Memo Commission

ISLAMABAD: The three-member judicial commission formed to probe memo controversy resumed the hearing at Islamabad High Court (IHC) today.

The commission has sought all the confidential communications sent via Husain Haqqani from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and allowed Yasin Malik, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) to become a party in the case.

During today's hearing, Husain Haqqani's counsel Zahid Bukhari presented three options to the commission for the proceedings to continue.

Firstly, Zahid Bukhari suggested that the commission could postpone the proceedings until the Supreme Court (SC) gives verdict on the already filed petitions.

Secondly, the commission could terminate Haqqani's right to testify and thirdly, the Commission may decide the case upon the proceedings held and the evidences produced.

A three-member bench, headed by Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, resumed hearing the case today at the IHC premises.

The judiciary commission rejected a plea filed by Hussain Haqqani, seeking that his testimony be recorded through video-link.

The commission asked Zahid Bukhari as to why his client didn't appear before the commission despite orders.

"Why Haqqani has not appeared before the commission? Whom does Haqqani fear? We will provide security to him," Justice Qazi asked the former ambassador's lawyer.

"I wonder that he is willing to come to London from United States but not to Pakistan. If so, he is then unsafe anywhere on the globe," Justice Qazi observed, adding that "he is a Pakistani citizen and bound to follow the law and Constitution".

Deputy Attorney General also appeared before the commission, to which Justice Qazi questioned about security arrangements for Haqqani. "We had ordered to ensure the security for Haqqani. Was the order implemented or not?" he asked.

The DAG told the commission that arrangements were finalized, adding that the government was not informed of alleged threats received by the former ambassador over his arrival in Pakistan.

Bukhari told the commission that Haqqani had filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the commission orders of summoning him. He said his client wanted that his testimony be recorded through video link as Mansoor Ijaz did.

He said that Haqqani was facing life threat due to Mansoor Ijaz's links with several intelligence agencies.

Justice Qazi rejected the plea and remarked that the statement could not be recorded through video link and Haqqani be produced before the commission.

Yasin Malik, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), appeared before the panel to clarify allegations made against him by Mansoor Ijaz.

Malik had requested to become a party after Mansoor Ijaz had alleged that he had arranged a meeting between Malik and then-chief of Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) at the behest of US government.