Memogate: Top court orders govt to bring back Husain Haqqani in 30 days

ISLAMABAD -  Supreme Court on Wednesday gave 30 days deadline to the government for taking steps to bring back former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani to face trial.

The directions were issued when a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing of the Memogate case.

Showing anger over comments being made on pending cases, the chief justice hinted at banning the coverage of cases if feedbacks on them were not stopped.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Bashir Ahmad Memon also appeared before the court to attend the hearing. He informed the court that arrest warrant for the former ambassador had been received from a judicial magistrate. He further said that warrants will be delivered at Haqqani's residences in Karachi and Washington.

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No excuses from the government will be accepted after the deadline has expired, the chief justice said.

At the last hearing, the chief justice on Tuesday termed the government’s efforts to bring Haqqani back mere eyewash.

Memogate Case

The Memogate scandal surfaced in 2011 when Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz revealed that he had received a letter against  Pakistan Army from Haqqani for the then-US joint chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen.

Following Ijaz's claims, a judicial commission was set up to probe the memo, which mentioned a possible military take over in Pakistan following the killing of Osama bin Laden in a US raid in Abbottabad.

In the memo, assistance was sought from the US to save the then government of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) giving an impression that PPP government is Pro-US.

Later, the judicial commission found that the memo was written by the former ambassador and was authentic.

The matter was taken to the Supreme Court by then opposition leader Nawaz Sharif after which Haqqani had resigned as an envoy.