Haqqani seeks video testimony in Memo case

Islamabad, March 25 (IANS) Citing security reasons, Pakistan's former envoy to the US Husain Haqqani has sought the Supreme Court's permission for recording his testimony to the Memo commission via video link.

Challenging the Pakistan Supreme Court's rejection of his earlier request for recording his testimony via video link, Haqqani Saturday made a fresh request seeking similar facilities as those provided to Mansoor Ijaz, the main character in the memo controversy, the Dawn reported Sunday.

The Pakistani Supreme Court-appointed Memo Commission is probing Pakistani American businessman Ijaz's claim to have last year delivered a secret memo to then US joint chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen at the behest of Haqqani and the Pakistani government.

The memo said that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari feared a coup after Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed last May by US commandos. The existence of the memo triggered a scandal and cost Haqqani his job.

Ijaz was accommodated by the Memo Commission on the plea of physical security. Haqqani in his application has claimed that the risk to his life has also gone up manifold.

On Jan 30, the Supreme Court had lifted a Dec 1, 2011, ban by allowing Haqqani to leave the country to meet his family in the US. However, the permission was granted after he undertook to return to Pakistan any time on four days' notice to join the proceedings, if and when required to do so by the commission.

Haqqani alleged that Ijaz had made false, malicious and dangerous aspersions against him, adding that such aspersions had put his life at serious risk.