No security by army, AG tells Ijaz’s lawyer

The federal government on Sunday rejected the demand of Muhammad Akram Sheikh, counsel for Mansoor Ijaz, linking the arrival of his client to Islamabad with provision of security cover by the armed forces, assuring the lawyer that all steps had been taken to provide security to his client and his property. In reply to a letter written by Sheikh to Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq on Saturday insisting he would advise his client not to come to Islamabad if the armed forces failed to provide him security, the AG said in his letter to Sheikh that:
“With reference to your letter, while disagreeing with most of the contents thereof I may inform you that in strict compliance with the orders of the memo inquiry commission, the federal government has made fool proof arrangements for the security of person and property of your client”. The AG stated that he had convened a meeting, which was attended by all concerned, and the arrival of Mansoor Ijaz was taken up.
He said arrangements had been put in place and in compliance with the orders of the commission, the focal person was directed to remain in touch with Sheikh.
“Please understand that all steps are being taken in accordance with the constitution, law and the rules on the subject. I may therefore assure you that the federal government has taken all steps to provide security to your client and his property”, Haq’s letter said. When contacted, Haq said: “The armed forces were also on board”. Sheikh said he had still not received any letter from the army chief. He said he might file a contempt petition against the AG for not complying with the commission’s orders. He declined to comment when asked whether his client would come to Pakistan after the government had rejected his demand. The meeting on security arrangements was also attended by Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi, Interior Secretary Khawaja Siddiq Akbar, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and representatives of law enforcement agencies. Mansoor Ijaz, who is supposed to arrive in Pakistan to attend the commission’s proceedings on Tuesday (January 24), voiced concern over the security arrangements and accused Interior Minister Rehman Malik of “orchestrating a massive cover-up on behalf of President Asif Ali Zardari” to stop his testimony.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik made known his intention of following directives of the attorney general’s meeting that required his ministry to provide security to Ijaz. But a warning followed: “I will also be pursuing the directives of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, also seized with the same issue, to put Ijaz’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).” Akram Sheikh, wrote to army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the AG on Saturday indicating that he would advise his client not to come to Islamabad if the armed forces failed to provide security.
In his letter to the army chief, Sheikh had sought first-hand information regarding actual on-ground logistical arrangements to ensure his client’s safety from the point of his arrival in Pakistan to the point of his departure. US embassy spokesman Mark Stroh said the embassy would not be involved in coordinating Mansoor Ijaz’s security or any of his activities during his stay in the country. The Attorney General had called the meeting in line with the Jan 9 orders of the judicial commission that security be provided to Ijaz by law enforcement agencies as well as the army in addition to what the AG deemed appropriate. DIG (security) has been deputed as the focal person to interact between Sheikh and the government for any need he might face.