Opinion The memo tale
A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press
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The memo tale
The Memogate scandal in Pakistan took an interesting turn when Husain Haqqani,Pakistans former ambassador to the US,gave a sensational interview to The Daily Telegraph. The Express Tribune reported on May 4: Husain Haqqani expressed fear for his life in an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. Haqqani said he fears that he would be murdered if he steps out of his residence as he has been branded a traitor by powerful quarters a clear reference to the ISI. He has been residing at the prime ministers house in Islamabad since his return to Pakistan on his resignation as the ambassador. He told The Daily Telegraph that he left the prime ministers house only on three occasions under heavy security escort. Daily Times added on January 6: The sources privy to the plan claimed that whenever Haqqani would come out in public,he will be taken into custody for in-depth information about the Memogate,as certain quarters were very eager to get details of the conspiracy.
Earlier this week,in a curious twist, Haqqanis lawyer,Asma Jahangir excused herself from his case. Dawn reported on January 1: Asma said that she did not trust the commission formed by the Supreme Court to investigate the memo scandal,alleging that the Supreme Court judges were under the establishments influence. Asma also told Dawn News in an exclusive interview that Haqqani feared the powerful spy agencies may force him into giving a statement. This fear was the reason behind the former ambassadors stay at the prime ministers house,she said. Moreover,she said that the Supreme Courts decision on the Memogate petition was a victory for the countrys establishment. The law was being used to transform the country into a security state,she said.
As the story developed,The Express Tribune reported on January 6: Pakistani American businessman Mansoor Ijaz submitted his BlackBerry Personal Identification Number (PIN) to the commission investigating the Memogate scandal… (which) sought the equipment used to communicate over,and then send,the memo in question and also ordered that message records be requested from Research in Motion the Canada-based service provider of BlackBerry Messenger,through which Ijaz and Husain Haqqani allegedly exchanged messages regarding the memo.
New provinces
The issue of creating new provinces in Pakistan was revived this week in the National Assembly. Dawn reported on January 3: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani… reiterated his commitment for the creation of new provinces,including a Seraiki province,and asked the chief whip in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah to discuss it with allied parties and move a resolution in the House. Gilanis home is in Multan,southern Punjab,where the Seraiki dialect is spoken. It is also the PPPs pocket borough.
Defending Bhutto
The ongoing reference case of former Pakistan PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has created a furore in Pakistan as the federations lawyer,Babar Awan,who was law minister until last year,was slapped with contempt of court charges along with two other senior PPP members. The case revisits Bhuttos murder trial. Awan,appearing for the federation,reportedly made some derogatory remarks about the Supreme Court and was supported by information minister Firdaus Ashiq Awan and PPP chief whip,Khursheed Shah. The Nation reported on January 5: During the hearing of the Bhutto reference case on Thursday,Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry took serious notice of Babar Awans comments in the media…
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