Recent statements made by certain government functionaries seemed to be an attempt to obstruct Mansoor Ijaz’s arrival in Pakistan and scare him away from testifying before the memo commission, which is meeting on January 24 (tomorrow), legal experts opine.
They said the government had a very marginal scope of implicating the US national in years-old ‘case’.
Legal experts opined that though a case could be registered against some foreign national if he violated the country’s law, but in the said case, the government’s intentions seemed to be malafide as it lacked legal justification.
Some of the top government functionaries in the recent days threatened the US national of implicating him on the charges of preparing a “plot” that culminated in toppling of Benazir Bhutto government in 1997.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik played a significant role in giving “veiled threats” to Mansoor, saying he would be questioned why and with whose help he toppled the Benazir Bhutto government.
On Saturday, he warned that the government would put Ijaz’s name on the Exit Control List if requested by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.
PPP’s Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz has also alleged recently said that Ijaz had a role in toppling Benazir Bhutto’s government in 1997.
There are some reports that FIA has been instructed to register a case against Mansoor Ijaz on the very charges.
Ijaz, the central character in memo scandal that has sparked a political crisis in Pakistan has also repeatedly accused the Pakistan government of trying to prevent him from coming to Pakistan.
The statements containing threats to Mansoor Ijaz have really worked as his lawyer, Akram Sheikh, has again insisted that he would not advise his client to come to Pakistan unless assured that the Interior Ministry was kept away from Mansoor’s security despite the fact that the US national had already been granted a visa for Pakistan.
On the other hand, former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, has “cooperated” little with the memo commission investigating the scandal and has not even handed over his Blackberry phones to the commission.
Commenting on the issue, Justice (r) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui said a case could be registered against a person who committed some crime on the country’s soil.
However, he saw malafide intention in Mansoor’s case, saying there was no legal justification of registering a case against him after a lapse of several years. “It would certainly have consequences as in case it proves false, the accuser could seek action under Section 182 of the PPC,” he opined. Asked about the statements given from certain government quarters threatening Ijaz, he said: “These are political statements and aimed at stopping Mansoor Ijaz from coming to Pakistan.”
Prominent lawyer Babar Sattar opined that though there was no bar on registering a case against somebody on the charges of conspiracy against the government, in Ijaz’s case, it would be difficult for the government to find a legal justification to it.
He said Article 6 and 9, which deal with high treason, apply to Pakistani citizens only, but a case could be registered against a foreign national under the Pakistan Penal Code. However, he saw little justification and room for the government to register a case against Ijaz in a years-old ‘case’, particularly when no FIR was registered at that time. “The government can use administrative authority for registering a case against Mansoor Ijaz but the latter can approach court against the same,” he said. As a matter of principle, it would not be justified, he added. However, he declined to comment on the purpose of issuing statements by the government functionaries.
Is Government of Pakistan obstructing the course of public justice?
Gentlemen in the government, let me tell you that it has the potentials of a charge being brought before the international court of justice.
Just be very careful.
England
22 Jan 2012
2240 hours
He is an enemy of Pakistan. It should not be an issue to hold him for a while to get some vital information about his anti-Pakistan conspiracies. Once the law has taken its course, he will be free to leave. If he has not committed any crime against Pakistan, there is no need to be scared. This is what his promoters keep on advising Haqqani.
The government's actions reek of complicity in the matter before the commission. It is the same feudal mindset; HH is sheltered in the Haveli while the witness is being scared away. Badmashi et al. Democracy Wallah.
Its very hard and annoying to understand as to why an ill-will foreigner is given out of propotion importance in the media. His appearance in the recently emerged video proves his class, and his family background as well, after his submission that his wife is co-producer of this explicitally erotic musical-video. He has been mastermind of many past political upheavals in Pakistan, and he always propogated against Army and its institutions. His fresh motives must be seen in the context of recent negative developments in US-Pak relations.
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