‘Followers’ of memo can’t be trusted for Haqqani’s security: lawyer

Zahid Bukhari, the counsel for Husain Haqqani on Thursday said his client could not trust the security to be provided by the “followers of the memorandum” as he told the memo commission that his client would not come to Pakistan even if his application for video conferencing was rejected.
“This (memo probe) all started after the ISI DG wished so and how could we trust the security provided by the agency,” he said. He was of the view that the ISI pursued the memo scandal and that his client could not trust the security apparatus to be provided by it.
Closing the side of Haqqani’s evidence after his refusal to come to Pakistan, the memo commission asked Haqqani to let it know in writing whether he had applied for residence (citizenship) in any country and also provide it details of utilisation of the secret fund in the year 2011 as ambassador of the country in Washington DC that will not be made public.
“Haqqani has told me in categorical terms that he would not come to Pakistan even if his application for video conferencing is rejected by the commission. However, he would be available to record his statement via video link from Pakistan’s embassy in Washington DC,” he said.
Bukhari asked how could the government provide security to Haqqani when it could not save its own leader Benazir Bhutto and a sitting governor.
On the other hand, the deputy attorney general told the commission that the government was fully capable of providing fool-proof security to the former ambassador. However, he said the government had no intention of putting Haqqani on the ECL. The commission rejected Haqqani’s application for video conferencing, however, did not summon him in person on the next date of hearing as May 3.
Bukhari was of the view that Haqqani felt threatened in Pakistan and also could not travel due to his ailment. As Bukhari submitted a long list of tweets and emails containing ‘threats’ to Haqqani, Justice Isa questioned how could he presume that the threats were emanating from Pakistan.
Justice Isa observed that Haqqani first expressed threats at the hands of the security agencies allegedly linked with Mansoor Ijaz and now was feeling threatened by the people on twitter. He said Haqqani never expressed any security threats to the Attorney General Office.
Bukhari told the commission that Haqqani did not possess any property in Pakistan except a bank account maintained at the National Bank of Pakistan Melody Branch Islamabad with Rs 150,000.
To a question regarding Haqqani’s application for American citizenship, Bukhari did not reply in clear terms, saying he had no knowledge of it.
Casting doubts over the authenticity of the medical certificates submitted by Haqqani before the commission, Ijaz’s lawyer, Akram Shaikh argued that Haqqani traveled from London to Washington on March 18 and added at that time ailment did not bar Haqqani from long travel. Bukhari told the commission that as his client is not coming to Pakistan under any circumstances, it was better to evaluate the material and evidence already on record to reach the truth.