Impartial inquiry into memo issue; No threat to Govt: PM
ISLAMABAD, Nov.24 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Thursday dismissed the notion of any threat to the government, stressing that civilian and military leadership were on the same page on every issue, and assured that the matter of “Memo” would be investigated as top priority to the satisfaction of the Nation, National Assembly and the opposition.Responding to the Leader of the Opposition’s speech, on the floor of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister said there was no threat to the government which he said was answerable to the people of Pakistan and not to “anybody else”.
He also emphasised that resignation was obtained from ambassador Hussain Haqqani to pave way for an impartial inquiry and that the government considered national security as supreme.
“There is no threat to the Government and if there was any, then we would look towards the masses and the opposition”, he said. “We have made a lot of sacrifices for democracy and we don’t need anybody’s support in this connection”.
 He emphatically said “we will have to go to the masses as we are answerable to the people of Pakistan and the Opposition, and not to somebody else,”.
 Prime Minister Gilani was responding to various points made by Leader of the Opposition, Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, about the “Memogate” issue, making it plain that the civil and military leadership were on the same page on every issue.
 Clarifying the actual position about resignation of former envoy of Pakistan to Washinton, Hussain Haqqani, the Prime Minister said that he was summoned to the Prime Minister House, and not to the Presidency, at one O’clock for explanation regarding the issue.
 Haqqani, he said, was told that the issue of memo had assumed serious proportions and the national security required it to be investigated impartially.
 “I directed him to tender his resignation as the issue demanded an impartial inquiry with no influence from any circle”, the PM said, adding that every ambassador had sufficient contacts not to need a “third person’s help” (for conveying a message).
 Similarly, he said, the government also did not need help in this regard (from any third person).
 The memo issue, he said, has been raised at various times in the National Assembly and he had assured the House earlier that Pakistan Ambassador in US Hussain Haqqani would be summoned to appear before the leadership back home and explain his position and that the parliament would be apprised after his explanation.
 He said that he had to inform the parliament on Wednesday but nobody raised the issue.
 Prime Minister Gilani said that he held a meeting with British National Security Advisor on that day in which Chief of Army Staff and ISI Chief assisted him, adding it was a scheduled meeting and held in “day-time”.
 He said the issue would be investigated at top level now as he had ordered to constitute a committee for investigating the matter, adding the opposition had also taken the issue to the Supreme Court.
 He said a transparent investigation of the memo issue was necessary to satisfy the nation and the opposition. “The Opposition Leader should now be satisfied” he said.
 The Prime Minister said that national security was supreme to the government.
 Regarding the Opposition Leader’s point about the statement of Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar about the issue, the Prime Minister said he (Defense Minister) meant that the decision would be taken by the Prime Minister.