Security arrangements for Ijaz finalised: Pak Attorney General

Islamabad, Jan 22 (ANI): Pakistan Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq said he has finalized security arrangements for the visit of Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, in consultation with the Defence Secretary.

The commission probing into the Memo Gate scandal had asked me to make appropriate arrangements for Ijaz in its January 9 order, The Express Tribune quoted Haq, as saying.

"I have met with the Defence Secretary, Interior Secretary and the representatives of the federal security agencies to finalise the arrangements," he said, adding that army personnel could be involved if required under the commission's order.

The Attorney General said Ijaz had been given foolproof security under Article 245 of the Constitution.

He added the article stated that the army could be asked to help the administration "in aid of civil power".

Ijaz's counsel, Akram Sheikh had earlier said that by excluding the army from the security, the government wanted to deprive his client of providing valuable evidence linking President Asif Ali Zardari to the memo.

Rejecting security arrangements made by Interior Ministry Rehman Malik, Akram Sheikh said he would not recommend his client to appear before the Parliamentary Committee investigating the memo scandal on January 24 if the army did not provide security to Ijaz. (ANI)