Memo commission didn’t declare Haqqani a traitor: SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that the memo commission had not declared former ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, a traitor and had asked his counsel to file plea in three days seeking exemption from attending hearings.
The hearing was held at the Supreme Court, heard by a nine-member bench, comprising Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Jawad S Khwaja, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, Justice Tariq Parvez, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Azmat Saeed.
The memo commission’s report submitted in the Supreme Court stated that Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, was not loyal to the country and that the memo seeking US support was indeed real and authored by Haqqani.
During the hearing, petitioner Barrister Zafarullah said Haqqani was still in the United States and had not returned to Pakistan to appear before the bench despite being summoned.
Haqqani’s counsel Asma Jahangir said that her client did not refuse to come back to the country, but he did have some security concerns and that they had contacted the unterior secretary as well as other people but no one was ready to ensure his security. Ms Jahangir said that if the Attorney General could assure them of the safety of Mr Haqqani, only then could he consider returning to the country. She further said that several pleas had been made to record the statement of her client trough video links but they had been turned down.
Justice Tariq Pervez instructed Mr Haqqani’s counsel to request the government, and not the court, to provide security to the former ambassador. To this, Ms Jahangir replied, “Haqqani was being provided security when he was ‘useful’…we contacted the government regarding his security but have not been given a reply.”
Haqqani’s counsel also read out a letter she had received from him in court. The letter said that sections of the media had portrayed Haqqani as a turncoat and that PTI chairman Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed had labelled him a traitor to the country.
After hearing the letter, Justice Pervez inquired as to why the counsel was making the correspondence between herself and her client public. Ms Jehangir then told the bench that it was her client’s wish that the contents of this letter be made public.
Commenting on the letter and addressing Haqqani’s counsel, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar brushed aside Haqqani’s apprehensions mentioned in the letter, terming them ‘his own personal fear’.
Ms Jehnagir stressed repeatedly that her client had not been allowed to record his statements through video despite frequent requests. Justice Tasadduq Hussain Jilani then said, “The Memo Commission’s report is an opinion, not a judgment; the court will deliver the verdict only after hearing you.”
Justice Asif Saeed Khosa added that Haqqani will have to formally request the court for change in the judicial order and Mr Haqqani’s counsel then said that she needed at least 24 hours for the purpose. She also requested the court to review its directive of summoning Haqqani in the given circumstances.
Allowing Haqqani three days to file an application for exemption from appearing before the court, the bench then adjourned the hearing to an unspecified date.