Memogate: there was army coup threat, says Ijaz

The main character of Memogate scandal Mansoor Ijaz on Thursday claimed that there was a serious threat of a military coup in Pakistan soon after the US covert operation on May 02, 2011 that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.
The judicial commission to investigate Memogate released a 39-page recorded statement of the US businessman that he made before the commission. Ijaz was cross-examined in the light of his statement recorded via a video link from the UK. Ijaz claimed that he had received some important information about the Abbottabad operation on May 02 but refused to share its contents. He also reiterated his statement that the government was facing a serious threat of a military coup.
Ijaz stated that Hussain Haqqani sought his assistance as the ruling government was feeling a serious threat of a military coup. "I contacted with some of my high-placed sources in intelligence agencies of various countries and they certified Haqqani's information," he claimed.
Counsel for Sanaullah Zahri and General Abdul Qadir Baloch (Retd), Salahuddin Mengal in cross-examination demanded that the secrete information regarding May 2 incident should be shared with the commission, but Ijaz declined to share the information publicly. He, however, gave a "tip" that a US pilot and Pakistani air traffic control were in contact with each other before the Abbottabad raid.
The commission decided to review the secrete information It, therefore, directed Ijaz to send the information through Secretary Commission in a sealed envelope. Ijaz also claimed that DG ISI Lieutenant General Shuja Pasha met rulers of various countries to garner their support on the matter. The commission asked the DG ISI to explain his position regarding allegations made by Ijaz in his testimony.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif's counsel Mustafa Ramday and Rasheed A Rizvi are in London for this purpose. Hussain Haqqani's counsel Zahid Bukhari and Ijaz's counsel Akram Sheikh attended the proceedings at the Islamabad High Court. The commission rejected the application of Zahid Bukhari. Bukhari had urged the commission to allow him to cross-examine Ijaz on March 12. Akhram Sheikh informed the commission that Ijaz would not be available on the date suggested by Bukhari.
Ijaz further "revealed" that he recommended actions against the "dual policy" of Pakistan in the article he wrote a day after the Abbottabad operation which was agreed by the then Pakistani ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani. However, Haqqani refused to support his views publicly, he added. The commission will resume hearing today (Friday).