US rules out providing special security for Ijaz during Pak trip over Memo scandal

Washington, Jan 22 (ANI): The US Embassy has said that it would not provide any kind of security to Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz when he arrives in Pakistan to testify on the Memo Gate scandal.

The Daily Times quoted the US embassy spokesman as saying in a statement that Ijaz would travel to Pakistan as a common US citizen as per his own choice and will be treated like any other American citizen.

Earlier, Pakistan's Supreme Court had ordered the government to take adequate security measures for Ijaz, who will appear before the judicial commission in the Memo Gate hearing. Ijaz has also demanded special security for his family.

Ijaz had claimed yesterday that he had been assured by the US government of its support during his visit to Pakistan.

"I had a conference call with the US State Department a couple of days ago. The US government will provide the support that they always do for US citizens," Ijaz said.

"They (the US government) made their official position very clear and I made my reasons for going very clear. They understand it's a high profile case and they understand I am a reasonably high-profile American citizen."

"And I think If, god forbid, anything goes wrong they will certainly be there to help my family make sure that things got sorted out. I am absolutely confident that the American government will do the right thing if something went wrong," he added.

Ijaz, however, refused to reveal the exact date of his visit to Pakistan.

He had earlier claimed to have delivered a controversial memo against the army to US Admiral Mike Mullen in May last year and accused the then ambassador Husain Haqqani of being involved in crafting it. (ANI)