ISLAMABAD, June 4: A probe commission comprising the chief justices of three high courts has signed its report on the memo scandal that had triggered a confrontation between the civilian leadership and military commanders.
During brief proceedings held on Monday, the commission headed by Balochistan High Court’s Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa asked its secretary Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan to submit the report to the Supreme Court in a sealed envelop at the earliest. The commission thanked government departments for cooperating in the investigation into the memorandum allegedly delivered to former US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen by former ambassador Husain Haqqani.
It appreciated former attorney general Maulvi Anwarul Haq, deputy attorney general Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri and court officials for their support.
The commission’s report comprises the panel’s findings; separate notes by Justice Isa, IHC Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and SHC Chief Justice Musheer Alam; order sheets of the 24 days of proceedings; statements and cross-examination of seven witnesses, including forensic experts, former director general of Inter-Services Intelligence Ahmed Shuja Pasha, American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, Kashmiri leader Mohammad Yasin Malik and officials of the Foreign Office; evidence submitted by Mr Ijaz and forensic reports by British experts.
The commission launched its proceedings on Jan 2 and continued public hearing till May 18. Initially the Supreme Court had set Jan 30 as its deadline, but it was extended thrice and the commission had to complete its work by the second week of this month.
Mr Haqqani announced on May 5 that he would boycott the proceedings.
However, the commission rejected his boycott on May 18 and marked him absent in ensuing proceedings.
Its order said Mr Haqqani had not adopted the set rules for the withdrawal of attorneys, nor informed the commission about the boycott.
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