Interior Ministry to provide security to Mansoor Ijaz: PM

LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said that as per the Constitution and Rules of Business, provision of security cover to Mansoor Ijaz is the responsibility of Ministry of Interior.

Talking to the media after condoling the death of world's youngest Pakistani IT expert Arfa Karim Randhawa with her parents at her residence here, the Prime Minister said, the Interior Ministry would ensure security of Mansoor Ijaz, a main figure in the Memo scandal summoned by the Judicial Commission and the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.

He, however, added that if required, the Interior Ministry may call the Rangers, Army or any other law enforcement agencies to assist the civil government in this regard.

Gilani said Mansoor Ijaz was not sincere with Pakistan and its people, as he had a track record of speaking against Pakistan, its government, the establishment and has no credibility.

Those, demanding extra-ordinary protocol for Ijaz, must think that he (Ijaz) is not head of the state or a dignitary of highest strata to be given huge protocol, he said, citing that he (Ijaz) is not entitled to enjoy such protocol as per provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan.

"It seemed that a Viceroy or US President is coming and we are his subject nation," he said, adding that such demands or trends were also detrimental to the country and the system.

"Mansoor Ijaz does not matter and we should not be worried about a person having no credibility," he added.

To a question, he said, the Memo issue was not a big danger for the government but the massage on the issues to the outer world was dangerous, adding that if any other such issue ever erupted in Pakistan, we would be sending a massage to the world that a single issue could abolish the government/system and that we are not capable of addressing our problems and issues".

To another query, the Prime Minister said that on the emergence of Memo issue, he had referred the matter to the Parliamentary Committee in consensus with all stakeholders including the President, Army Chief, the ISI Director General and others.

Gilani assured that the government would extend assistance to the judicial commission and the parliamentary committee. "I have to assist the both. It should be in all fairness that he (Mansoor Ijaz) should appear before the both- the judicial commission and the parliamentary committee," he maintained.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2012