Pakistan’s former ambassador to USA, Husain Haqqani has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Memo Commission’s order for him to appear in person in Islamabad and has sought equal treatment and permission to appear via video link as was done in the case of Mansoor Ijaz.

The petition filed by his counsel Asma Jehangir, states that Mr. Haqqani had also grave security concerns because of many frivolous and sensational allegations leveled by  Mansoor Ijaz during his witness recording and many intelligence agencies that were in contact with Mansoor Ijaz as admitted by Ijaz himself during the proceedings of the commission.
It may be recalled that the Memo Commission in its order March 18, 2012 had said that the recording of Mr. Husain Haqqani’s evidence would only be possible when Mr. Haqqani had completed the admission and denial of documents, therefore, his request to have his evidence recorded immediately was misplaced. The comission had also relied on Mr. Haqqani’s undertaking before the Supreme Court that on four days notice he would return to Pakistan and appear before the Commission to record his evidence.
Challenging the commission’s position that the commission was bound by SC’s order of January 30, 2012 the petition states that the Commission was not prohibited in any way through that order of the Supreme Court to insist on physical presence of Mr. Haqqani especially as facilities to record his statement via video link were available and extended to a foreigner but were denied to the Petitioner, when he applied for recording of the statement.
Mr. Husain Haqqani through his petition stated that the order of the Commission passed on March 18, is misconceived as denial or acceptance by the Petitioner could only follow deposition of the Mansoor Ijaz who is the only party accusing Mr. Haqqani so far and as such for the Commission to conclude that the Petitioner has been indulged as against the zealousness shown by the Commission to go several hundred miles to accommodate the Mansoor Ijaz who had undertaken at several occasions to travel to Pakistan is only one example of the partiality shown by the Commission during the proceedings.
The petition says “The Petitioner is also a family man like Mansoor Ijaz who took the plea that his family was fearful for his life in case he traveled to Pakistan. The same standard of concern by Commission may also be extended to the Petitioner. There cannot be another standard of protection for a citizen of United States, who alleges only loyalty to his own country and a patriotic Pakistani who has served the country well as its representative in the US during very tense and difficult times and possibly paying for it owing to his belief in the progress and wellbeing of his country.”
Carrying on  the petion states “The wild allegations ranging from absurd to the most absurd by Mr. Mansoor Ijaz were meant to exploit emotions and were incitements to violence against the Petitioner given the prevailing atmosphere in the country which is also best known to this honourable court as it sits on several human rights cases where people disappear or are targeted for murder or their dead bodies are recovered.”