Ijaz considering summoning Zardari before Memo Commission over Osama raid

Islamabad, Mar 4 (ANI): The Pakistan Presidency and the ISPR might have dismissed media reports regarding a conversation between President Zardari and Army Chief General Kayani on the night of May 1 and 2 last year, but Pakiostan-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz plans to consider of requesting the Memo Commission to summon Zardari, record his statement about what actually transpired on the night when Osama bin Laden was killed.

It was reported a couple of days ago that it was Zardari who had allowed the Americans to carry out the operation to kill bin Laden in Abbottabad, ordering the country's defence forces not to react as everything was being done with permission. The F-16s which flew to shoot down the intruding helicopters were called back. ome newspapers also reported about a conversation between the air traffic control and the pilots of the US helicopters, giving minute-by-minute details of the operation.

However, sources close to Mansoor Ijaz said a request for summoning the president would be made after former ambassador Husain Haqqani gives his statement before the Memo Commission, The Nation reports.

Haqqani has already been told that his statement would be recorded when the cross-examination of Mansoor Ijaz is completed. The proceedings are due to resume on March 15.

Sources close to Ijaz claim that the contradictions issued by the presidency and the ISPR fail to rebut what the transcript had stated.

They said if the commission granted the request, Zardari would also have to explain the contents of his article he wrote for the Washington Post on May 3, a day after the Abbottabad operation. (ANI)