Govt is not trapping Mansoor Ijaz: Malik

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Monday refused to accept the claims made by Mansoor Ijaz’s lawyer Akram Sheikh that his client was being trapped by the government.

Speaking to media in Islamabad, Malik said that Ijaz himself made statements against the army, the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and about toppling Benazir Bhutto’s government. “We, as a stakeholder, have the right to form a commission and investigate these issues,” Malik said.

“The nation demands explanation for all these claims,” Malik added.

Malik also said that Ijaz had refused to come to Pakistan because he was scared.

“If Ijaz was an honest and brave man, he would have come to testify,” he said.

Responding to Ijaz’s statements that he was at war with him, Malik said that he had been fighting against terrorists and other enemies of Pakistan for the last four years and if he wants to join those ranks, “he is most welcome.”

“But I will not allow anyone to insult my country and my people,” Malik asserted.

Calling Ijaz’s revelations a publicity stunt, the interior minister said that Pakistani media had helped him become popular.

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SC to hear Asghar Khan’s 16 yrs old plea on Feb 29

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed February 29 to hear the petition filed by Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Asghar Khan 16 years ago pertaining to Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) distributing money among politicians.

Meanwhile, the former ISI chief Gen. (retd) Durrani submitted an affidavit confirming the accusation.

The petition has called upon the apex court to punish the politicians and political groups who have been receiving pots of money from the agency.

Various politicians had demanded the petition to be heard.

Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan, in 1996, wrote a letter to then chief justice Nasim Hasan Shah against former army chief Mirza Aslam Baig, former ISI chief Lt-General (retd) Asad Durrani and Younis Habib of Habib and Mehran Banks, relating to the disbursement of public money and its misuse for political purposes.

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Pakistan Army rejects US report on NATO attack

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military on Monday rejected US findings on a Nov. 26 Nato cross-border air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers and plunged relations to a low point.

“Pakistan does not agree with several portions and findings of the investigation report, as these are factually not correct,” the military said in a statement.

The US report released on Dec. 22 found both American and Pakistani forces were to blame for the border incident, inflaming already strained ties.

“Affixing partial responsibility of the incident on Pakistan is therefore unjustified and unacceptable,” said the statement.

“The fundamental cause of the incident of 26th November, 2011, was the failure of U.S./ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) to share its near-border operation with Pakistan at any level.”

Pakistan responded to the attack by shutting down ground routes to supply US-led Nato forces in Afghanistan and forced the United States to vacate an air base used to launch drone flights.

Last week, a senior Pakistani security official told Reuters the routes would be reopened, but heavy tariffs would be imposed.

The army had earlier in December 2011 rejected key findings from the US investigation into air strikes and had said the report was unlikely to repair the severely damaged relationship between the two countries.

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