American businessman Mansoor Ijaz. — File photo

ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary panel investigating the memo scandal issued fresh summons on Thursday against American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, the central figure in the case, for Feb 10.

After hearing Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq, the 17-member Parliamentary Committee on National Security expressed satisfaction at arrangements made by the government to protect Mr Ijaz in the country.

It reviewed security arrangements with regard to concerns shown over the past two weeks by Mr Ijaz.

The attorney general briefed the committee on security arrangements put in place for Mr Ijaz and the government’s contact with Canadian firm Research in Motion to obtain his BlackBerry record.

The RIM has turned down the request.

Citing perceived threats to his life, Mr Ijaz has twice failed to appear before a judicial commission appointed by the Supreme Court to investigate the same case.

The alleged memo sought US help to stave off a feared coup after the killing of Osama bin Laden last year.

The judicial commission has issued a final notice to Mr Ijaz for Feb 9 after he failed to appear on Jan 24.

It rejected a request to allow him to depose in London or Zurich.

Briefing reporters after presiding over Thursday’s PCNS meeting, its chairman Raza Rabbani said that if Mr Ijaz continued to have concerns about his security, the authorities could take more steps to allay his apprehensions while keeping in view the law of the land.

The committee reviewed the statement of the attorney general and reached the conclusion that prima facie the security arrangements were adequate, he said.

Senator Rabbani said the new notice would also be served through the ministry of foreign affairs.

Pakistan’s former envoy to the US, Husain Haqqani, was forced to resign after the scandal surfaced.