News Analysis |
In last-ditch effort to avert the looming crises, ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed grave regrets over the Memogate scandal. Despite the fact that Nawaz himself deliberately started a confrontational politics and lamented the state institutions, he had a change of mind and launched a completely opposite campaign to start a dialogue with these vary institutions.
Nawaz showed remorse over the scandal which erupted in 2011 and paved way for the confrontation between the military establishment and the government, which led them to the apex court. After a gap of seven-years, Nawaz has suddenly realized his mistakes of getting involved in the scandal. Nawaz believes that his petition against the Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman and then President Asif Ali Zardari was a mistake.
Realization of Nawaz that he should not have indulged himself in this controversy has created a stir in the media.
Nawaz wants to abolish this law and has regretted of not taking any measures in this regard during heydays. PPP may have a strong presence in Senate now, but, apparently, it won’t help Nawaz at this crunch time.
Reacting to Nawaz’s comments outside the accountability court, PPP’s senior leader and Senator Maula Baksh Chandio quoted a couplet of Mirza Ghalib, and said, “Nawaz does not even understand that on which issues he should consult court and on which he should not.” He is not as simple as he seems, and he should accept all other mistakes too, he added.
Supreme Court of Pakistan is determined to bring the central character of scandal- Hussain Haqqani back to Pakistan from the United States. It has directed the government to bring back Haqqani in one month, as no delay in this regard will be tolerated. SC had summoned the foreign and interior secretaries to appear before the court in Memo-gate case today.
The interior secretary requested the court to grant some time as the documents from the US had arrived only yesterday. The DG FIA said that agency will contact the Interpol for the Red Warrant against Haqqani and he is happy to visit the US personally in this regard.
Read more: Nawaz regrets pursuing Memogate Scandal: But why after 7 years?
The Memogate Scandal
In 2011, Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged that he had received an ‘anti-army’ memo from Haqqani, which was written to US joint chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen.
Media reports created an uproar in the country over his published remarks in ‘Washington post’. After his remarks, even PPP distanced itself from the former ambassador and accused him of treason.
Haqqani had called for assistance for PPP government amid the possible Army takeover after US Abbottabad raid to kill Osama bin Laden. The subsequent probe through a judicial commission concluded the authenticity of the memo and led to his resignation and subsequent exit from the country.
Why did SC take up the Case after seven-years?
A three-member SC bench is hearing the case headed by the CJP Saqib Nisar. CJP remarked that a person ran away after making a statement and expressed dissatisfaction over the progress made in the case and enquired about the whereabouts of Haqqani. Recently, Haqqani became vocal about the way case was dealt in SC and took responsibility for Osama raid citing his close ties with the United States.
Media reports created an uproar in the country over his published remarks in ‘Washington post’. After his remarks, even PPP distanced itself from the former ambassador and accused him of treason.
In 2011, Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged that he had received an ‘anti-army’ memo from Haqqani, which was written to US joint chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen.
CJP took notice of the case while hearing another case and summoned details of the case on January 29. Haqqani wondered why the case was not taken up in last six-years and what stopped the previous four-CJP’s from opening the case and why the bench is reduced from nine to three members.
Haqqani laughed out at the warrant issued against him on February 15 and tweeted that such political-warrants and popular antics of courts won’t work abroad like in past.
Read more: Why Hussain Haqqani is considered a traitor by Pakistanis?
Will PPP ome to Nawaz’s Rescue?
Apparently, Nawaz has extended an olive branch towards PPP in a bid to help him out of this present quagmire encircling house of Nawaz. It will be very naïve of PPP to assist Nawaz at this time after so much political drama before and after March 3 Senate elections.
Nawaz is bashing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance and termed it a black law constituted by dictators to target politicians only. Nawaz wants to abolish this law and has regretted of not taking any measures in this regard during heydays. PPP may have a strong presence in Senate now, but, apparently, it won’t help Nawaz at this crunch time.