'I'm not Pakistani, can't be summoned'

The central character in the memo scandal, American businessman Mansoor Ijaz said on Friday that the parliamentary committee probing the case cannot summon him because he is not Pakistan national, media reported. Expressing reservations on appearing before the parliamentary committee, Ijaz said that his legal adviser is reviewing the notice of parliamentary committee that had summoned him. “I will go to Pakistan at every cost,” he said. However, he did not confirm his appearance before the parliamentary panel that is parallel probing the memogate issue. The US citizen said that he was considering taking up the matter with the Supreme Court of Pakistan and that he will decide whether he will appear before the committee or not. The committee has summoned Mansoor Ijaz on January 26. He also claimed that he had played a key role in the return of Benazir Bhutto to Pakistan. Mansoor’s counsel Akram Sheikh has confirmed that he will appear before the judicial commission investigating the memo scandal on January 24. Earlier on Thursday, Mansoor Ijaz was granted a one year multiple-entry visa to Pakistan. The American businessman had visited the Pakistan High Commission in London, where he was granted the visa. Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik had earlier said that he cannot guarantee if Ijaz will be arrested on his arrival or not. Rehman had said that he will follow court orders in this regard. However, the interior minister had said that he will provide complete security to him from the time he lands in Islamabad to his entire stay. Speaking to media outside the Parliament House on Friday, Malik said the question would also be raised as to why Mansoor Ijaz wrote articles against the Pakistan Army and the ISI. Replying a query about Ijaz’s possible stay in Pakistan, the minister said he should not leave the country unless the memo tribunal allowed him to leave. Responding to another question regarding presence of Norwegian secret agents on Pakistani soil, Rehman Malik said it was the responsibility of the ISI and IB to detect the presence of such agents. However, he said that he would inform the house on the issue after collecting details.