The memo scandal in Pakistan is taking a new turn every other day, perhaps at the behest of some powerful groups who don’t want a civilian setup to continue and assert its powers as granted by the constitution. If we keep head hunting aside, there are so many open questions with no obvious answers. Why did the Supreme Court issue notices to army chief and DG ISI to submit replies in the memo scandal as they were not under the executive authority but an entity itself?
In view of a national security parliamentary committee already reviewing the case, it should have not been the purview of the judiciary to intervene in the legislative authority. If such an action was so essential, then the federal government should have been asked to get replies from the army chief and DG ISI as theoretically speaking these gentlemen report to the federal government. But you know might is perhaps always right. Also, how come the replies from Mansoor Ijaz, an American businessman of Pakistani origin, and the army and ISI chiefs, which should have been confidential documents pertaining to references to some alleged interaction with foreign countries, were bluntly leaked to the media.
Electronic media has been using excerpts from the replies of its liking and per editorial policy to feed their ‘Breaking News’ sessions. Someone must be minting a lot in this whole game. One shall also question the statements by the army and ISI chiefs that are authenticating the memo in the media even before the trial begins in the SC.
Obviously, it’s an attempt to influence the court proceedings and its final judgment. Per media reports, DG ISI is of the view that Mansoor Ijaz can’t write an article in The Financial Times without some convincing evidence. Agreed, but what about his dozens of other articles wherein he has always tried to malign Pak armed forces for playing a double game.
Should we assume his evidence is always convincing or should we be selective according to our own liking? What about Mansoor’s allegation that the DG ISI consulted several countries to get their consent to oust the present government? Let’s ignore this very serious charge as it is Mansoor’s habit to accuse the Pak army every other day, let’s move on to target some civilian faces.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
