Memo panel asked to use ISI chief's statement as evidence following Ijaz's refusal to visit Pak

Islamabad, Jan 30 (ANI): After Pakistani-American businessman refused to show up before the Supreme Court in Pakistan over security reasons, Barrister Zafarullah Khan, one of the petitioners in the Memo Gate case, requested the judicial commission to summon Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant-General Ahmad Shuja Pasha to testify on the same issue.

Barrister Zafarullah of the Watan Party sent his application to the secretary of the judicial commission probing the case.

The barrister also requested the commission, headed by Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court Qazi Faez Isa, to close the right of recording Ijaz's evidence, saying he was deliberately wasting the time of not just the commission, but of the whole nation, The Express Tribune reports.

Barrister Zafarullah said that Ijaz was summoned by the commission on January 9, 16 and 24, but he refused to appear despite assurances of his security from the federal government.

The paper quoted the barrister as saying that while Ijaz's statement would count as primary evidence, the affidavit provided to the Supreme Court by Pasha, where he admitted to meeting the Pakistani-American businessman in London, would count as secondary evidence.

Regarding former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, Barrister Zafarullah said that the commission should either acquit Haqqani or convict him by relying on Pasha's statement as evidence. (ANI)