Ex-Pak Envoy Haqqani's plea for video testimony rejected

Islamabad, Apr 27 (ANI): The judicial commission probing the memo scandal has rejected a plea by Pakistan's former Ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani to record his statement through video conference from Washington.

Earlier, Haqqani had requested the Supreme Court through written application to record his testimony through video link as his life is in danger in Pakistan and there is also a possibility of him being placed on ECL.

The commission, however, rejected his application and directed Haqqani to submit the record of secret funds he had used in 2011 as an ambassador. It also barred the former ambassador from using Twitter, a popular social networking site.

The commission, headed by Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and consisting of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman and Sindh High Court Chief Justice Musheer Alam, conducted the proceedings of the case at IHC.

During the hearing, Haqqani's counsel, Asma Jahangir, had contended that the January 30, order of the court did not bar the commission to extend the same facility to Haqqani as given to Mansoor Ijaz, The Daily Times reported.

Disposing of Haqqani's application to record his statement through video link, the Supreme Court said the judicial commission was independent and could adopt any procedure for recording the statement of anyone it desired without being prejudiced. (ANI)