F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar has termed the government’s efforts and assurances to bring Hussain Haqqani back for trial in Memogate case mere eyewash.
Hearing Memogate case, the CJP inquired about the steps the government is taking to bring back former envoy to face charges against him.
The memo in question, delivered to a high-ranking American official allegedly at Haqqani s behest in May 2011, had exposed serious rifts between the PPP government and the army after a US-based businessman brought it to light.
It was delivered to a high-ranking official and asked for help for the civilian government against the military because of the domestic turmoil triggered by the US raid that killed Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.
Haqqani, however, had denied having anything to do with the memo.
In 2012, a judicial commission tasked with probing the matter had submitted its report to the apex court, holding Haqqani guilty of authoring the controversial memorandum and adding that the former US envoy “was not loyal to the country”.
The Supreme Court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for former envoy Husain Haqqani and directed him to appear in the Memogate case, but the he failed to comply with the court orders.
The CJP today expressed discontent at the pace with which the government is proceeding with the case, questioning if it is really interested in bringing him back. The CJP asked Additional Attorney General, Rana Waqar to gather all the required documents by tomorrow.
The Additional Attorney General assured the CJP that Interpol has been contacted in this regard and there shall soon be a significant headway in the case.
