Malik assures security to Ijaz upon arrival in Islamabad over Memo Gate issue

Islamabad, Jan 10 (ANI): Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has assured that the government will provide security to Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz if he arrives in the country to testify on his claims in the Memo Gate issue.

Malik said that he had received a letter stating that all individuals summoned by the memo commission should be provided security.

He assured the government would also issue a Pakistani visa to Ijaz whenever he wanted.

"Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif knows Mansoor Ijaz better and if he wants to take him to Raiwind as a guest, all security would be provided," The Daily Times quoted Malik, as saying.

Earlier this week, an Islamabad court had sought a report from the police secretariat by January 10 following a preliminary hearing of a petition calling for the arrest of Ijaz, the central figure of the Memogate scandal, upon his arrival in Pakistan.

The petition was filed in the Islamabad District Court by Khalid Jameel Sati, an activist associated with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

The petitioner's counsel, Raja Israr Ahmed Abbasi, told the court that Ijaz was a 'secret agent' trying to destabilise the democratic government by publishing 'fake' and 'baseless' memo-related documents. (ANI)