ISLAMABAD: The key witness in the memogate case, Mansoor Ijaz has not ruled out his visit to Pakistan to testify before the memo commission but has only set the condition that he would not accept any security arrangement or assurances under the interior minister or any other member of the ruling coalition, writes Ansar Abbasi.
A letter written by Mansoor Ijaz to his counsel Akram Sheikh, senior SC advocate, on Tuesday afternoon did not shut other options like the Army or Punjab government’s security for the US national’s visit to Pakistan.
Shared with The News by an informed source, the letter did not talk of requesting the Commission to testify Mansoor in a foreign country but candidly said: “I will not accept any security arrangements under the direction or guidance of Mr Rahman Malik or any other member of the ruling PPP coalition.”
However, he continued to offer himself for the testimony by saying: “I apologize to the Honourable Justices for the finality of this decision- I am prepared to be deposed with all evidence in hand, and full explanations of all points contained in my Witness Statement submitted to the Supreme Court on December 15, 2011. I am prepared to be cross-examined to any extent necessary,” he said.
Mansoor Ijaz’s main reason for not coming to Pakistan is the well orchestrated campaign of systematic intimidation, successfully pursued by the government and involve no less than the Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
Mansoor Ijaz instead pointed out that the behaviour of the government towards Supreme Court instructions demonstrates a wilful disregard to carry out such mandates when these are not convenient for their political objectives. “I am not a political football for Pakistan’s internal politics and internal institutional clashes,” he said.
The following is the operative part of Mansoor Ijaz: “I have been following the Commission’s proceedings remotely during the course of this morning. I understand that in the afternoon session, the Commission’s Honorable Justices will summon and hear from Mr Rehman Malik, Interior Minister of Pakistan with respect to security arrangements that he has apparently now overtaken for my potential visit to complete my witness testimony at the Commission’s direction.
“I wish to make clear in no uncertain terms given the events of the past 10 days since I last wrote to the Honourable Justices that I will not accept any security arrangements or assurances arising from any minister of Pakistan People’s Party (the ruling party of the coalition government). There is an inherent conflict of interest that should be apparent to all concerned in this matter of allowing the very government whose officials, whether current or former, that I am being deposed as a witness against them be offering me assurances of my safety and security while I am in Pakistan.
“The behaviour of the Interior Minister in particular is deplorable. I do not accept that any person can make wildly inaccurate and unjustified statements couched in threats veiled in presumptions about my person, my reputation and my truthfulness as a witness. I ask the Honourable Justices, would any of them entrust their security to a man who through channels tried to bribe and entice one of my family members to depose against me- contrary to all law, and all norms of human decency?
“The behaviour of the government towards Supreme Court instructions demonstrates a wilful disregard to carry out such mandates when they are not convenient for their political objectives. I am not a political football for Pakistan’s internal politics and internal institutional clashes. I will not be made so. My decision is clear. I will not accept any security arrangements under the direction or guidance of Mr Rehman Malik or any other member of the ruling PPP coalition. I apologize to the Honourable Justices for the finality of this decision- I am prepared to be deposed with all evidences in hand, and full explanations of all points contained in my Witness Statement submitted to the Supreme Court on December 15, 2011. I am prepared to be cross-examined to any extent necessary.
“I made every possible preparation to appear in front of the Commission today, until the government’s intentions were laid bare over the past week in a step by step series of revelations which demonstrated the malice of forethought and mala fides of intent towards me.”