Memo Commission summons Malik

The Pakistan judicial commission that is investigating the Memogate scandal on Tuesday asked about the absence of Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz from his counsel Akram Sheikh.

Ijaz´s counsel Akram Sheikh told the court that his client was ready to come to Pakistan but he was constantly receiving threats, Geo News reported.

Sheikh also said that Ijaz was not happy with the security provided by the interior ministry.

Meanwhile, the commission had summoned the Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik to reply to the allegations regarding security to be provided to Ijaz.

Malik was expected to appear before the judges later Tuesday, media reports said.

Earlier, Sheikh had said that Ijaz will not travel to Pakistan to depose before the judicial commission appointed by the Pakistan Supreme Court to investigate Memogate.

Ijaz´s counsel Akram Sheikh said that his client is ready to videotape his statements in either London or Zurich and then submit it to the commission investigating the matter.

The Memogate scandal deals with a secret memo to Washington that claimed that Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari feared that the nation might face a military coup has created a deep trouble in the South Asian nation.

Ijaz also claimed that Zardari feared a military takeover of Pakistan after US killed terrorist Osama Bin Laden on May 2 in Pakistan.

Former Pakistan ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani resigned from his position after getting himself involved in a row over his alleged request for help to USA on behalf of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to prevent a military coup following the killing of terrorist Osama bin Laden.