PCNS summons AG to discuss Ijaz’s security
Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD: Apparently upset over the refusal of American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, the main witness in the memo case, to appear before it in person due to security concerns, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) has decided to summon Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq on Thursday to ascertain the government’s stance over the matter.
PCNS chairman Senator Mian Raza Rabbani told reporters after a meeting of the committee here on Tuesday that it had the jurisdiction to summon anyone required in the probe into the case and Mansoor Ijaz was not an exception.
He said if Mansoor Ijaz failed to appear before the committee it would exercise its powers and propose steps under the law. Mr Rabbani did not say under which rule the PCNS wielded such powers and a member of the committee told Dawn that ways to ensure Mr Ijaz’s production before the panel was not discussed at the meeting.
The member said he was not sure whether the committee would be able to proceed farther or complete its probe if the main witness did not appear before it to answer queries.
Mr Rabbani said neither President Asif Ali Zardari nor his emissary had met him or issued any instructions with regard to the committee’s probe into the memo case.
Meanwhile, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt-Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha and former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani submitted their written replies to the committee.
Gen Pasha filed his reply in the form of a letter addressed to the chairman of the committee. They had been asked by the committee on Jan 16 to submit their replies by Jan 23.
Mr Rabbani said the ISI chief and the former envoy had submitted their replies, but Mansoor Ijaz had so far not filed a verbal or written reply.
Aftab Sherpao, Afrasyab Khattak (who represents ANP president Asfandyar Wali), Haider Abbas Rizvi, Babar Awan, Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, Mir Israrullah Zehri, Wasim Sajjad and Munir Khan Orakzai attended the meeting.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik reassured the judicial commission appointed by the Supreme Court to probe into the memo case on Tuesday that the government would not put the name of Mansoor Ijaz on the exit control list (ECL).
Source: Dawn
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