Generals back probe into memogate
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They acted after the political opposition asked the Supreme Court to find out who was behind a memo that sought US help to prevent a feared coup and curb the military after Osama bin Laden was killed in May. The existence of the document came to light when American-Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz wrote in the Financial Times that President Asif Ali Zardari feared the military might overthrow his government. In separate responses submitted to the court late Thursday, the attorney general said the petition should be dropped, but army chief General Ashfaq Kayani said the memo impacted "national security". "Therefore, there may be a need to fully examine the facts and circumstances leading to the conception and issuance of the memo," said the army chief in a copy of his reply obtained by AFP. |
ISLAMABADThe head of the ISI Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha confirmed meeting Ijaz, an American-Pakistani businessman in London on October 22, when he showed him "proof" of messages exchanged with Haqqani by BlackBerry about the memo.
"I was satisfied that he had enough corroborative material to prove his version of the incident," Pasha said.
He asked the court to summon Ijaz and demand the "forensic examination" of the computers, mobile phones and blackberries used by Ijaz and Haqqani.
Zardari, who is currently resting at his home in Dubai after spending a week in hospital for an undisclosed illness, did not respond in person.
The court is scheduled to resume hearing Sharif' petition on Monday.
Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011
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