Pasha, Haqqani, other absent: Commission seeks details of purported Conversations

The Judicial Commission investigating Memogate Scandal has sought details of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) - an instant messaging application - containing the record of purported conversations between former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani and US businessman Mansoor Ijaz on the controversial 'memo'.
In its maiden meeting the Commission headed by Balochistan High Court's (BHC) Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa with Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Musheer Alam Monday directed Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Maulvi Anwarul Haq to contact the Canadian Company Research in Motion (RIM) as well as local representative in Pakistan to obtain forensic evidence of conversations.
Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lieutenant General Shuja Pasha, Ejaz Mansoor, Hussain Haqqani, former US National Security Adviser James Jones and others were also summoned by the commission to appear before it on January 9. Although strict security measures were taken in the IHC premises on the occasion, the Commission further issued directives to the concerned authorities to ensure security of all the stakeholders who will be recording their statements before the commission. Earlier, Jawad Abbas, the Commission's secretary, informed the media persons that an open court inquiry into the Memogate controversy would be carried out.
AGP Maulvi Anwarul Haq, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Secretary Cabinet Division Nargis Sethi, Deputy Attorney General and legal advisors of foreign ministry appeared before the Commission. Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs apprised the Commission that the Ministry did not possess any record relating to the Memogate scandal. It is worth mentioning that DG ISI Shuja Pasha and Husain Haqqani did not appear before the Commission despite repeated calls on the gate.
In answer to a question, the Attorney General said that Haqqani had informed through Interior Secretary about his absence. However, according to some unconfirmed reports, Haqqani was not allowed to receive any notice to appear before the three-member judicial commission.
These unconfirmed reports have also suggested that Haqqani has said that he will certainly appear before the commission as soon as he receives court summons. After the meeting of the commission, AGP told the media persons that the DG ISI would himself decide whether or not he needed the services of a government counsel. The Judicial Commission was appointed by the Supreme Court to probe into the scandal and submit its findings within four weeks.