Mansoor Ijaz Won't Be Coming After
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ISB 24-01-2012_Layout 1 1/24/2012 7:38 AM Page 1 Zardari doesn’t need Senate resolves to British woman to move court for arrest Pervez claims new immunity, says Aitzaz Musharraf on arrival Antarctic solo record PAGE 03 PAGE 22 PAGE 16 rs15.00 vol ii no 208 22 pages islamabad — peshawar edition pakistantoday.com.pk tuesday, 24 january, 2012 safar 29, 1433 Mansoor US-Iran standoff to send fuel Ijaz won’t prices through the roof ISLAMABAD ing trend was witnessed because of and kerosene were retained at last g Massive STAFF REPORT the confrontation. He said the initial month’s level of Rs 98.82, Rs 86.78 estimates of OGRA pointed out that and Rs 89.24 per litre respectively. increase likely Consumers will be faced with a mas - the price of motor spirit (petrol) To save the people from the nega - sive increase in the prices of petro - would have to be increased by Rs tive impact of high inflation result - be coming in POL prices leum products because of the 5.45 per litre, High Octane Blended ing from the increase in POL prices, brewing crisis between Iran and the Component (HOBC) by Rs 6.45 per OGRA had recommended lowering from February United States on the Strait of Hor - litre, High Speed Diesel (HSD) by Rs the Rs 10 per litre petroleum levy muz, as the Oil and Gas Regulatory 3.13 per litre, Light Diesel Oil (LDO) (PL) on POL products. However, Authority (OGRA) has estimated an by Rs 3.87 per litre and kerosene by the Finance Ministry had rejected g increase of Rs 3 to Rs 6.45 per litre Rs 2.98 per litre. OGRA would be the proposal. The government col - after all Petrol price likely on different POL products for the making its final recommendations lects Rs 23 billion per month on to be increased by month of February. after a meeting to decide on the in - taxation of POL products, Rs 16 bil - g Counsel says Ijaz is open to An official source said an in - land freight equalisation margin lion per month in sales tax on POL Rs 5.45 per litre creasing trend in POL prices was scheduled to be held on January 27. and another Rs 7 billion as PL. testifying from London or Zurich witnessed during the last few days OGRA had earlier notified an The source said the Petroleum because of the intensification of increase in petrol price by Rs 1.65 Ministry was stressing on reducing ISLAMABAD statements between Iran and the per litre to Rs 89.54 per litre and the levy on diesel so that its prices MASOOD REHMAN US. He said usually POL prices HOBC by Rs 5.13 to Rs 111.91 per could be brought at par with started falling from January litre with effect from January 1, the Compressed Natu - HE memo drama takes a new turn as the but this year, an increas - 2012. The prices of HSD, LDO ral Gas (CNG) sector government finally succeeded in scaring away to reduce the demand Mansoor Ijaz, who has decided not to appear there. Nearly 3.5 before the three-member judicial commission million vehicles run probing the controversy, saying he was ready to on CNG in Pakistan Tdepose before the commission in Zurich or London with a consump - instead of coming to Pakistan. tion estimate of The counsel for Ijaz, the Pakistani-American 290 mmcfd. businessman at the centre of the memo controversy, expressed his reservations on the security arrangements meant for his client’s appearance before the judicial commission, saying his client would be ready to record testimony before the commission either in London or Zurich. The commission had told Ijaz to appear before it personally to record his statements on January 24. His counsel, Akram Shaikh, told reporters at the Supreme Court building that he had held a teleconference with his client after meeting the Islamabad Police inspector general and had briefed him on security arrangements that had been made for him for his appearance before the commission. The statement from Shaikh ended speculations about Ijaz’s appearance before the commission today (Tuesday). Sheikh said his client No more chances underlined that he had been given no assurance by any person on behalf of the Pakistan government towards ECP snubs SC’s his apprehensions about his security. Later on, Shaikh for Ijaz please, also filed an application in the judicial commission’s secretary office to record Ijaz’s testimony outside pleads Haqqani Pakistan with a plea that the apex court had given a clear ‘electoral jurisdiction’ mandate in its order to the commission to collect ISLAMABAD evidence within and outside Pakistan according to STAFF REPORT prevailing laws on the subject.Prime Minister Yousaf g Raza Gilani had told reporters during his recent visit to Says if SC insists on delaying by-elections, it would be As the main character in the memo case – Lahore that it seemed as if Ijaz was some viceroy who g Mansoor Ijaz – has declined to appear was coming to Pakistan and the government had to against the law and constitution Secretary says ECP has before the judicial commission in Pakistan arrange for his security as subservient people, also no Aladdin’s lamp, can’t complete electoral rolls before May due to security concerns, former making it clear that the government would not spend ambassador to US Husain Haqqani has billions on his security. Gilani categorically stated that asked the commission to refuse another under the constitution and under the system, it was the ISLAMABAD Hamid Ali Mirza said at a consul - League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader opportunity to the former to appear and get duty of the Interior Ministry to provide Ijaz security. KASHIF ABBASI tative meeting of the representa - Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and Jamaat- his statement recorded before the Shaikh added that Ijaz’s arrival under protection of a tives of political parties held here e-Islami (JI) leader Liaqat commission. In a letter submitted by station house officer (SHO) as announced by the prime The Election Commission of at the ECP. He said Article 224 of Baloch. A source who attended Haqqani’s counsel with the memo minister on Sunday was highly deplorable, adding that Ijaz Pakistan (ECP) asserted its inde - the constitution clearly made it the meeting told Pakistan Today commission, Haqqani said: “The attitude had a concrete fear that electronic evidence in the memo pendence on Monday by snub - mandatory for the ECP to hold that PML-N and JI strongly op - and conduct of Mansoor Ijaz clearly shows case could be completely destroyed or tampered with. bing the Supreme Court and elections within 60 days of a seat posed the ECP’s stand on elec - that he is playing with the sentiments of the Shaikh added that Ijaz was also concerned that Pakistan’s telling it not to interfere in its becoming vacant. toral rolls. Later, addressing a nation and also wasting the precious time money should not be wasted and thus did not want law constitutional jurisdiction, and The CEC said if any other in - press conference, ECP Secretary of this honourable commission, despite the enforcement agencies to waste their money on him. “So, he announced that the electoral stitution of the state was to hold Ishtiak Ahmed said it would be fact that this honourable commission has wants to record his statement while sitting in his office in rolls could not be completed be - elections, as the ECP saw some - unfair to prepare the new voter acceded all his requests/demands on all London. He is ready to tell the truth and present all grafts fore May. times such desire on part of lists in urgency. He said new issues. Even the High Commission of to the commission.” Days before Ijaz’s planned visit to Staying several by-elections, some quarters expressed electoral rolls to hold the 2013 London granted him visa after office hours Pakistan, the Parliamentary Committee on National the apex court had asked the through media, then the right general elections could not be fi - to facilitate his appearance before this Security, which too is investigating the memogate, had ECP to finalise the electoral lists course was to amend the consti - nalised before May this year. He honourable commission.” “Mansoor Ijaz issued summons to Ijaz to appear before it on January 26. by February 23. However, the tution. He said responsibilities of said the ECP was unable to com - (American national), wanted to record his Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said if the committee ECP also challenged the every institutions were chalked ply with the Supreme Court’s or - statement be fore the Honourable desired, Ijaz’s name could be included in the Exit Control Supreme Court order, taking a out clearly in the constitution ders to finalise the electoral rolls. Commission, for which, he sought number List (ECL). “It seems like a well-orchestrated trap to hold position that delaying by-elec - and unnecessary interference in He said the task of making elec - of adjournments through his counsel Mr Mansoor Ijaz indefinitely in Pakistan after his deposition tions would be unconstitutional. the ECP’s matters meant nega - toral rolls should remain with Akram Sheikh i.e. 9.1.2012 and 16.1.2012, before the commission, therefore, Ijaz has decided to make The ECP also said if the Supreme tion of the constitution. the ECP without interference but today, he has also not attended the a request to the commission to record his statement in Court insisted on delaying by- The meeting was attended by from an y institutions.