Haqqani’s boycott of memo proceedings makes the probe controversial

The boycott of the memo Commission by Husain Haqqani and his legal team for not allowing Husain Haqqani to record his statement via videolink has made its findings controversial as the commission unusually concluded his findings first and later on ordered forensic investigation on Blackberry handset of Mansoor Ijaz.
Haqqani’s legal team seem perturbed on turning down his request of recording his statement via video link from abroad and failing to make any effort to get statements from other potential witnesses such as US General James Jones, who transmitted Ijaz’s memo, and Admiral Michael Mullen Husain Haqqani citing various discretionary measures has already withdrawn from the proceedings. He says the commission went out of the way to facilitate Ijaz’s claim and recorded his statement via video link and agreed for a forensic examination of his blackberry set according to his own terms and conditions whereas he had been denied the same facility despite repeated requests made through Haqqani’s counsel. Haqqani maintains Commission has deviated from its mandate and for the unknown reasons taking steps one after the other that end up facilitating Mansoor Ijaz and his side of the story. Haqqani’s close circle say the fact finding would have been possible only if all witnesses were allowed to record his statement with same ease as they enabled Mansoor Ijaz without much ado. However, the Commission is unlikely to stop its proceedings and accommodate the concerns of Haqqani but the outcome will be controversial for all purposes. It may be recalled here Haqqani has been requesting the Commission to record his statement in the same way as Mansoor Ijaz but the refusal of the Commission compelled him to withdraw from the deliberations. The nature of the Commission is not more than fact finding body and Haqqani has not been formally charged of any crime or conspiracy.