Memogate SC order and The Media

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O R D E R Of  SC
IFTIKHAR MUHAMMAD CHAUDHRY, CJ. – In pursuance
of directions contained in order dated December, 30, 2011 passed in
Constitution Petitions No.77 to 85 and 89 of 2011, this Court
constituted a Commission.

Memogate scandal: (Dec 2011)

• Khabrain/Jang/Express/NW/DT (pp.A12)/Isb: “Memo scandal: Kayani to file rejoinder in SC today”: Legal team of Pakistan Army on Tuesday held a meeting with attorney general over the matter of submitting Chief of Army Staff and DG ISI affidavits in the Supreme Court regarding memo scandal case. According to sources, Chief of Army Staff will submit his rejoinder on the concise statements of other respondents today (Wednesday) as the Army law officers had got the attested copy of December 19 order regarding the matter. (Dec 21, 2011)
• Dawn/NW/Khabrain/Nation/Jinnah/Jang/Islam/Express/News (pp.9)/Isb: “Some powers opposing SC probe into memogate: Nisar, PML-N lawyers being threaten for filing memo case”: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday said some powers did not want the Supreme Court to take up the memogate probe. He said US forces had vacated the Shamsi air base but the issue should not be closed and instead there should be an inquiry into why an individual handed over the country’s land to foreigners. He said the nation must be told whether there existed any written agreement under which the Shamsi air base was given to the United States, or whether it was done on verbal orders. (Dec 21, 2011)
• Nation, Editorial, President and memogate: There are two issues with the position taken by the spokesman. First, it must be kept in mind that replies were filed by the Director-General ISI and the Chief of Army Staff. This did not imply that the Army or the ISI were not part of the government headed by the Prime Minister, but that these individuals had to explain their own actions, and that reply was not considered sufficient for them. In the same way, the President’s person is involved in the case, and he has a personal position to explain. He may have some points to make which overlap with the Prime Minister’s reply. However, at the same time, the President’s position in this case is such that not only would he be well advised to file a reply, but he should be represented separately from the Prime Minister. It should also be noted that there is another opportunity afforded to the President to file a reply, because the apex court on Monday directed the petitioners and all the respondents to file item-wise comments. Since that indicates that court was not satisfied with the earlier replies, the President cannot rely on the Prime Minister’s reply anyhow(Dec 21, 2011)
• Jinnah, Column, Zardari ki wapsi, memo ka kya banay ga?, Younis Majaz:Finally the three hour long meeting between COAS and PM Gilani has bore the fruits and US official Gen. James Jones had added more spices to it with his views on it. Pakistani nation was in great turmoil during the last few weeks which was also highlighted by the COAS in his answer submitted to the Supreme Court. In his statement, General Kayani has also stated that Memo is real and is a conspiracy against the Army and national solidarity. According to General Pasha, Hussain Haqqani has links with the memo scandal. General Pasha had also given a briefing on memo issue in Oct, 2011 and as per the proofs available, Mansoor Ijaz and Haqqani had also discussed this issue over telephone. (Dec 21, 2011)
• Mansoor Ijaz has categorically said that word ‘Boss’ refers to President Zardari.(Capital Talk, Justice ® Wajeh-ul-Din, Leader PTI)
• Neither COAS nor DG ISI have mentioned anyone, but have said that the issue must be investigated. Mansoor Ijaz is very close to State Department and Foreign Office. (KTN, Open Forum, Manzoor Sheikh) (Dec 21, 2011)
• There are many contradictions in the statements of Mansoor Ijaz (KTN, Open Forum, Manzoor Sheikh) (Dec 21, 2011)
• Jang/Jinnah/NW/Express/Khabrain/Islam/Nation/Dawn/DT/News (pp.1)/Shoiab A Raja: “I’ve stated facts, hidden nothing: COAS”: Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in his rejoinder to the memo case submitted before the Supreme Court on Wednesday said he had stated the facts and hidden nothing, reiterating that the memo was a reality and should be probed. On the other hand, the federation also repeated its previous stance of questioning the jurisdiction of the apex court to take up the memo case. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Chief Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Khawaja Asif, while submitting their rejoinders, supported the DG ISI and Army Chief’s stances on the issue. (Dec 22, 2011)
• Jang/News (pp.1)/Ansar Abbasi: “The dilemma of Generals”: The Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s response submitted before the Supreme Court on Wednesday reflects the strange dilemma faced by the Military establishment — it does not want to compromise on memogate but also want to avoid confronting the Govt, which dubs the memo a non-issue. The Army Chief and the DG ISI were expected to submit their para-wise comments on the initial replies of the other parties but they avoided doing so that they would not have to confront the Govt face to face. (Dec 22, 2011)
• Jinnah/Jang/NW/Express/Khabrain/Islam/Nation/Dawn/DT/News (pp.1)/Isb: “NA security panel begins memo probe”: The Parliamentary Committee on National Security on Wednesday formally started a probe into the memo case and rejected the PML-N’s request to withdraw its members from the committee. The Parliamentary Committee on National Security met here on Wednesday with Mian Raza Rabbani in the chair and sought the replies of Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, Husain Haqqani, Mansoor Ijaz and Gen James Jones, already submitted before the Supreme Court. (Dec 22, 2011)
• News (pp.9)/Isb: “Govt concedes in letter sent to Supreme Court”: In a fast developing situation, the defence ministry on Wednesday night told the Supreme Court of Pakistan it had no operational control over the Pakistan Army and the ISI and hence the ministry could not offer para-wise comments in the memo case, a private TV channel reported. The channel also showed copies of a two-paragraph letter sent to the Supreme Court by the defence ministry. The ministry said it only looked after the administrative matters of the Army and ISI. Analysts said a serious stand-off between the Govt and the Army Chief was now apparent though Gen Kayani and Prime Minister Gilani had a long three and a half hours meeting few days ago to resolve the matter. It now appears that no progress was made in the meeting. (Dec 22, 2011)
• Islam/News/Express//Dawn (pp.1)/Nasir Iqbal: “No control over operations of Army, ISI: Govt”: All eyes are focussed on the Supreme Court as it is set to take up the memo case again on Thursday. In a late night development on Wednesday  which added yet another twist to the memo scandal, the federal Govt, through the Ministry of Defence, conceded before the Supreme Court that it had no operational control over the armed forces as well as the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Earlier during the day, Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani submitted a sworn affidavit acknowledging the existence of the memorandum while PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif submitted a rejoinder. Not satisfied with the replies, the court had on Dec 19 asked the petitioners as well as the respondents to submit affidavits on oath as well as paragraph-wise comments denying or accepting whatever was levelled or stated in the petitions or the replies. (Dec 22, 2011)
• NW/Dawn (pp.12)/Khawar Ghumman: “PPP deliberates on Zardari’s reply in memo case”: The memo scandal apparently continous to hold the nerves of PPP leaders. Following the submission of affidavit by Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif’s rejoinder to objections raised on his petition by the Govt and former ambassador Husain Haqqani, two main respondents in the case, the PPP leadership held a closed-door meeting at Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday evening. (Dec 22, 2011)
• Express/Nation (pp.1)/Abrar Saeed: “Unmoved PPP adopts wait and see policy”: The core committee of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Wednesday discussed threadbare the memo controversy and the fresh reply filed in this connection by Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvaz Kayani in the apex court and it was the consensus view of the leadership that they would stand firm on their declared stance on the issue.  Besides discussing the prevailing political situation in the country, the PPP leaders took briefing from the Attorney General of Pakistan on the fresh reply of the Army Chief submitted in the court and its legal implications, the sources added. (Dec 22, 2011)
• News (pp.5)/Momin Iftikhar: “Memogate-A vicious slandering campaign”: If court is being indirectly coerced , it is the Army and ISI who find themselves in the eye of the propaganda storm for having committed themselves to stand ;vouching for the authenticity of the memo in response to SC call.  A well shaped propaganda fusillade to take popshop at Pakistan`s vitals is beginning to manifest using a multi-layered media and let there be no doubt clipping the ISI and Pak Army freedom of action  lies at the heart of this campaign.  (Dec 22, 2011)
• News/Dawn/Nation/DT (pp.3)/Isb: “Haqqani refutes story about London meetings”: Former ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani has described as “totally false” and “deliberately misleading” a story published in an English and Urdu daily claiming that he withheld information from the Abbottabad Commission about his activities in London on May 9 to May 10. “The meeting of the Abbottabad Commission was not open to the public so the reporter has no way of knowing what questions were asked and answered during my appearance before it,” he said. (Dec 22, 2011)
• NW/Nation (pp.5)/Jhang: “Memo a conspiracy, says minister”: Punjab Minister for Auqaf and Labour Ehsanuddin Qureshi has said that Memogate Scandal is a highly dangerous conspiracy against the integrity and security of Pakistan and its people and if the issue was not taken to Supreme Court, it would also have been buried by the PPP like other such big issues. The minister further said that it was a good chance for the PPP leadership to clear their position on Memogate scandal in Supreme Court. Qureshi said that the PPP Govt was making anti-Pakistan policies on the direction of America. He said the economy and law & order situation in the country was going bad to worst day by day. (Dec 22, 2011)
• Jang/News (pp.9)/Muhammad Saleh Zaafir: “President may seek more time to reply in memo case”: A high level meeting of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) under Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at the PM House failed to take a final decision pertaining to the position supposed to be taken before the apex court on the question of Asif Zardari’s reply in the Memo Gate petition filed by Nawaz Sharif. The Military leadership has decided not to budge on the question of national security and it is expected that a formal or informal interaction would take place between the political and Military leadership in next two days where some thorny issues including some aspects of the Memogate could come up for discussion. (Dec 22, 2011)
• DT, Column, Memogate and surrogates, Mohammad Taqi: In fact, Biden took out a business card from his pocket and waved it saying Mr Ahsan (he pronounced it Eeshan) had visited him that day. Whether the whole episode was one of Biden’s famous gaffes and what actually transpired at that meeting might remain unknown. This brings us again to the current Memogate saga in which there are many unknowns but certain interesting ‘knowns’ have also emerged. In his submission to the SC, Mansoor Ijaz stated that he has maintained relations with the Military and intelligence services in scores of countries, including Pakistan. He claims to have interacted extensively with the then DG ISI General Ehsan-ul-Haq during 2003-2004. On the other hand, he claims only one recent meeting with Ambassador Husain Haqqani at a 2009 charity dinner in New York and that all his alleged subsequent communication was electronic or telephonic. (Dec 22, 2011)
• COAS stated that Memo issue is a reality and it should be investigated. Civil govt has contradictory opinion on this issue. (ARY, Off the Record, Kashif Abbasi, Anchor) (Dec 22, 2011)
• This Memo case cannot be ignored on the basis that Masoor Ijaz has doubtful character. (ARY, Off the Record Shafqat Mehmood, Leader, PTI) (Dec 22, 2011)
• COAS and DG ISI declared this Memo issue as reality and COAS said that it is issue of National security. (Aaj, Islamabad Tonight, Nadeem Malik, Anchor) (Dec 22, 2011)
• Memo gate and NATO attack both are very serious issues. (Aaj, Islamabad Tonight, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Leader, PTI) (Dec 22, 2011)
• Constitutionally military establishment is under civilian government; serious allegations have been raised by the military that memo is an effort to demoralize Pakistan army. (Samaa, Tonight With Jasmine, Sheikh Rashid, Leader, AML) (Dec 22, 2011)
• General Kayani again answered to SC that memo is a reality based case its harmful for country, it must be probe. Geo, Aaj Kamran Khan key sath, (Dec 22, 2011)
• Nawaz sharaif said Army chief, ISI chief and Mansoor Ijaz are on right stance.Geo, (Aaj Kamran Khan key sath ,Kamran Khan, Anchor geo) (Dec 22, 2011)
• US wants to operation against Taliban but it itself want political dialogue. Geo, Aaj Kamran Khan key sath, Raheem Ullah Yousafzai, Analyst)
• Nation (pp.3)/Mubashir Hassan: “Gilani feels ‘dodged by COAS on memo issue”: Mr Gilani believes that Army chief has dodged him over the memo issue. He is highly perturbed over Army’s decision to submit separate replies in the Supreme Court especially after it had been agreed between the two that a single reply from the federation would be filed through Attorney General of Pakistan. Highly placed sources told that Army chief and ISI chief reportedly submitted separate replies first to the Supreme Court and then sent copies of the same to the Attorney General, which was something against the understanding earlier reached between the PM and the Army chief. Political observers believe that a war of nerves has started between the Military establishment and the Govt; but it is yet to be seen which one of the two fails to sustain pressure and gives in before the other; or there is some reconciliation between them. (Dec 23, 2011)
• Jang/News (pp.12)/Ahmad Noorani: “Army chief, ISI have no lawyer in SC”: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and DG-ISI Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha are going un-represented in the Supreme Court as the attorney general has no instructions to speak for them in the memo case.This made the fact clear that there was no one to represent the Pakistan Army and ISI in the court. Raja Muhammad Irshad, former lawyer of ISI in the missing persons and some other cases, while talking to The News, confirmed though replies of these institutions are routed through the AG office yet under the law and rules, these institutions can always engage any private lawyer(s) to represent them in any case in any court. (Dec 23, 2011)
• Jang/News (pp.9)/Traiq Butt: “Gilani sets the tone for Zaradri`s Naudero address”: Refereeing to the unusually provocative remarks made by PM Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at a function on Thursday, another official said that the chief executive set the tone of Zardari`s forthcoming discourse on Dec 27.  The sources said that it was decided in a meeting of Gilani with Zardari on his return from Dubai after the former briefed him on his lengthy discussion with Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani that PM would throw docility aside and become aggressive publically sending clear message to the establishment. That is why, the PM turned very combative he said. (Dec 23, 2011)
• News (pp.12)/Farrukh Saleem: “Who will blink first”: At one end of the spectrum are President Asif Ali Zaradri and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. They claim that Pakistan Army and the Directorate of Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) are a “state within a state”, and that conspiracies are being hatched here to pack up the elected govermnet. At the other end of the spectrum are Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Director General ISI Lt Gen Shuja Pasha. They claim that the top “PPP hierarchy is attempting “to lower the morale of Pakistan Army whose young officers and soldiers are laying down their lives for the security and defence of territorial integrity and political independence and sovereignty of Pakistan.  (Dec 23, 2011)
• Jang/News (pp.12)/Shoiab A Raja: “Haqqani doubts Mansoor-Pasha meeting”: Former ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani on Thursday doubted the meeting between Mansoor Ijaz and DG ISI, Gen Shuja Pasha. In pursuance of the court’s December 19 order, Husain Haqqani submitted his rejoinder to the DG ISI’s concise statement through his counsel Asma Jahangir. “The ready agreement of Mr Mansoor Ijaz (who has previously blatantly criticised the ISI) is highly suspicious and his conditions of meeting the DG ISI equally mysterious. According to Mr Mansoor Ijaz himself, the so-called toppling of a democratic Govt was the information that he passed on to me in an alleged BlackBerry message and I ignored it,” he further said. He agreed with the DG ISI and Army chief that all such inquiries or investigations must be carried out strictly in accordance with the law and in accordance to due process. (Dec 23, 2011)
• DT (pp. A5)/Hasnaat Malik: “Haqqani, Pasha, federation submit rejoinders in SC”: Former ambassador of Pakistan in United States Husain Haqqani has doubted the meeting between Mansoor Ijaz and ISI Director General Gen Shuja Pasha. Haqqani denied authoring or authorising the controversial memo, but concurred with the chief of Army staff and the ISI director general that all such inquiries or investigations must be carried out strictly in accordance with the law and in accordance to due process. The ISI director general rejected the contents of the December 13 article published in ‘The Independent’ blog against him, saying these allegations were baseless and devoid of truth. (Dec 23, 2011)
• Jang/News/DT (pp.3)/Isb: “Pakistan memo crisis adds pressure to US ties; Bruce Reidel recalls Shahbaz request to US against coup”: A political crisis in Pakistan may threaten not only the future of President Asif Ali Zardari but also keep pressure on an already tense relationship with the United States as it seeks to stabilise neighbouring Afghanistan. A scandal over a murky memo that warned the Pentagon of a possible Military coup in Pakistan has highlighted historic tensions between the weak civilian Govt in Islamabad and the powerful Military, whose help Washington needs to battle militants fueling violence in Afghanistan. The Obama administration’s response to “memogate” has been muted, perhaps in part reflecting resignation among US officials to troubled ties with an uneasy ally for no. (Dec 23, 2011)
• Jang, Column, Anhoni ko na Lalkarain, Irfan Siddiqui: General Kayani has never given any indication that he wants to topple the Govt nor has he ever shown any such inclination to impose marshal law in the country. Then why is there unrest in the Govt. Why has it failed to tackle the whole issue smoothly in a dignified manner? Why has it created an issue out of the memo scandal? Today Govt has accepted its failure at not being able to control Army and ISI. The responsibility does not lie solely on our current Govt but it too had taken some steps that led to the present day situation. Now it is fighting a war on different fronts against opposition, judiciary, Army and media simultaneously and wants to emerge as a winner without being directly blamed for the entire fiasco. One wonders where this whole drama would lead to as the Govt is leaving no stone unturned to make the most unwanted situation happen.  (Dec 23, 2011)
• News, Column, Real issue: regime change, Ayaz Amir: Hence, the mixed signals from that quarter: even as they push their petition – a position which puts them on the same page as Gen Ashfaq Kayani and Lt Gen Shuja Pasha – they are issuing warnings about the dangers of Bonapartism. Uncharitable critics would say that this amounts to running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, always a tough act to perform. Zardari can only be nailed if Husain Haqqani chooses to become a Masood Mehmood, the approver in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s murder case. But of that happening there are precious few signs. Haqqani is no Masood Mehmood and Gen Kayani, for all his well-concealed ambition, is no Gen Zia. And, if the analogy can be stretched further, on the judicial firmament there is no Justice Anwarul Haq or Maulvi Mushtaq. The times, alas, are different. So the central problem remains. How do you take the footprints of the Memo affair to the Presidency? And if this doesn’t happen, the mushroom cloud rising in Islamabad is an exercise in futility. To put it in legalese, of what use a First Information Report if it leads to no conviction? (Dec 23, 2011)
• News, Column, No memo martyrs, please, Mohammad Malick: But then came the memo, and everything changed. On the one hand, the PM rubbishes the memo as a fraud but at the same time eagerly claims Husain Haqqani’s scalp and that too because ‘his’ DG ISI felt good about the ‘now bad’ evidence. The DG ISI was patriotic then and treasonous now. Funny. The same Gen Kayani was good enough to be given a three-year extension not that long ago but is now a scheming Charlton presumably because his testimony in the memo case does not synthesis with that of Islamabad. Interesting. If the prime minister is convinced that he is on the right and is genuinely fighting for democracy then it is incumbent upon him to stand up for the concept and the Constitution. If he believes that the COAS and his men are indulging in a macabre attempt to derail democracy for their own personal gains then he has to do more than just blow hot air. He must act and order the removal of any elements that illegally challenge the legal writ of the state. Consequences be damned. In such an eventuality, he must trust the people to stand behind him and support him to the end. (Dec 23, 2011)
• News, Editorial, Point of no return? A spectre is haunting Pakistan – the spectre of a clash between the Army and the Govt that threatens to turn fatal. Thursday saw the Supreme Court hearing the memo case yet again, and all sides sticking to their guns. The Army chief in his rejoinder insisted that the memo was a reality and must be probed by the SC while the federation reiterated that it was not within the apex court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter under Article 184(3) of the constitution. As Husain Haqqani’s counsel appeared before the court and a tête-à-tête began about why the federation was against a judicial probe, the prime minister upped the chances of a deadly collision between the civilians and the uniformed. Addressing a gathering at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Prime Minister Gilani said conspiracies were being hatched to pack up the elected Govt, but he would not allow anyone – an obvious reference to the Army – to form “a state within a state”. Adding insult to injury, the PM responded to allegations that the Govt had issued thousands of visas to US agents and operatives, paving the way for the unilateral raid to take out Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad: “I want to ask how Bin Laden was living in Pakistan for the past six years? On what type of visa was he living here? Why was security not taken care of, if he entered Pakistan without a visa?” The implication was clear: before the Army asks the civilians whom they issued visas to, it should also answer what it knew about Bin Laden’s presence in the country. (Dec 23, 2011) (Dec 23, 2011)
• DT, Column, Second act of the memo drama, Muhammad Ashraf: A blog in The Independent, a UK newspaper, has pointed out that the architect of the alleged memo crisis, Mansoor Ijaz, during an exchange of messages on BlackBerry messenger (BBM) had also informed his alleged co-conspirator that there was a second, rival plot (Military coup), in train during the very same days and General Pasha, the ISI chief, had travelled to Arab states to enlist their support for the contemplated adventure. According to Ijaz, the US intelligence sources had also confirmed the existence of the plot. The blog wonders how this most arresting claim evaded even the faintest scrutiny. Having said that, I firmly believe that there is no truth in the claims made by Mansoor Ijaz either about President Zardari and Haqqani or the ISI chief. These claims are adequately belied by the unity and solidarity shown by both the civil and Military leadership in the wake of the unilateral action of May 2 by the US. President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani extended unqualified support to the ISI and the Army in warding off the American pressure and the Army leadership also exhibited its subservience to the civilian leadership. It was a time to get united rather than conspiring against each other. In the face of the US attack at Salala, they have again proved beyond any iota of doubt that they are on the same page and united to steer Pakistan out of the dire straits. (Dec 23, 2011)
• DT, Editorial, Something is rotten: Judging by the responses submitted by the top Military brass to the SC, it looks like they are jumping to conclusions when the very fact that has been ‘stated’ as a fact is still under investigation. What was also interesting to see was the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) reply to the SC on the memo issue. It admitted that the MoD had no control over the Army and the ISI. An admission to this effect has sent everyone in a tizzy. Prime Minister Gilani also came down hard on the Military, in a subtle yet aggressive manner, yesterday, while speaking in parliament. He said: “If they [Military/ISI] say that they are not under the Ministry of Defence, then we should get out of this slavery, then this parliament has no importance, this system has no importance, then you are not sovereign…They are being paid from the state exchequer, from your revenue and from your taxes. If somebody thinks that they are not under the Govt, they are mistaken. They are under the Govt and they remain under the Govt, because we are the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan.” (Dec 23, 2011)
• Memo should be properly investigated under SC. ARY, Off the Record, Zahid Hamid, Analyst) (Dec 23, 2011)
• Jang/News (pp.1)/Ansar Abbasi: “Implementation of Mullen memo has begun: Imran”: Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf Imran Khan said on Friday that the Zardari-Gilani regime seemed to have started implementing the provisions of dreaded Mike Mullen memo. Amid unconfirmed reports that the Army Chief and the DG ISI might be removed by the Gilani regime anytime for their refusal to compromise on the memogate, Imran Khan expressed his utter shock at what he called irresponsible statement made by the prime minister on Thursday. Imran Khan said that the PM’s tirade against his own Army had endangered the very security of the country. (Dec 24, 2011)
• Jang, Column, Saddar ka roza, Tariq Butt: According to General Kayani and General Pasha memo is a reality which should be thoroughly investigated. If President, govt or any other official of govt is not involved in memo then why govt is reluctant to conduct a transparent   investigation of memo. In fact govt’s opposition to investigate the memo created a lot of doubts. (Dec 24, 2011)
• Dawn, Column, Memogate and the media, Irfan Husain: What has been overlooked in the whole controversy is a WikiLeaks cable in which Gen Kayani is quoted as saying to the US ambassador in Islamabad that he might “reluctantly” consider putting pressure on Zardari to resign. If anything, the March 2009 WikiLeaks source is far more reliable than anything Mansoor Ijaz could possibly say or write. Thus far, no suo moto notices have been issued over this indiscrete comment made to a foreign diplomat To his credit, Nawaz Sharif has repeatedly stated his firm opposition to any Military coup. Another example of how fevered Pakistan`s political discourse has become is the media`s reaction to Asif Zardari`s recent illness, and his departure to Dubai for treatment. Pundits of every stripe began speculating on the `real reason` for his exit. (Dec 24, 2011)
• News, Column, Zardari’s counter-insurgency, Wajahat Khan: The Chief and the spy-master, Generals Kayani and Pasha, would close ranks and unleash their rejoinders. There was truth to the memo, they would pray to the courts in chorus, and stress that they marched only for Pakistan, not for the Arabs, Americans et all. While on their angry route, irritated by Jahangir’s sniping and Haqqani’s temerity, as well as the uncalled for participation of a new combatant, the media, they would even burn the village of The Independent, where a foreign journo had displayed half-baked subversion instead of fully-ripe diffidence, claiming that this Army was nothing more than a clan, who reported to the tribal Bedouins of Arabia. Thus, they would snarl and growl, and try to drive their lances through the heart of Zardari’s formation: the memo lives, they would claim again. That’s when Zardari would unleash Gilani. The hours-long peace meetings between the prime minister and the COAS had not helped. The Army was merely doing what it has been trained to do: that an enemy can be talked to and attacked – all at the same time. (Dec 24, 2011)
• Nation, Editorial, PM’s outburst: The sense of understanding and trust that he then reposed in the Army and about which he had been so confident following his meeting and the President’s telephone conversation with the COAS, seems to have evaporated into thin air. The contents of the affidavit filed by the COAS and the ISI before the Supreme Court on the memogate issue, may have led him to change his mind. The COAS and ISI Chief, in obeyance of the court, routed their statements through the Attorney-General, as is the correct procedure under the Constitution. Scotching commonly circulated fears, the COAS has issued a strong commitment to uphold democracy, stating that the impression of the Army standing poised to overthrow the government, is not justified. The armed forces were fully aware of their legal and constitutional responsibilities and obligations to which they had pledged their oaths, he maintained. At the same time, General Kayani made it clear that the Army would not be letting the memo case go without proper investigation. The PPP core committee, that was in session welcomed the statement of the COAS. The government, however, so badly involved in court cases of far-reaching implications, is not yet free from threat. (Dec 24, 2011)
• DT, Column, Civil-Military faceoff: ‘beyond reasonable doubt’! A R Siddiqi:Why should the high command have anything to do with ‘political independence’ except for its disturbing potential to create a grave national crisis unless called a halt to without loss of precious time? General Kayani remains convinced of the ‘reality’ of the memo. He views it as a ‘conspiracy’ hatched against the Army and national security. He would go on to assure that despite ‘all this’ the Pakistan Army remains in high spirits ‘fully determined’ for the defence of the homeland against all challenges. He went on to assure the Supreme Court of the Army’s full cooperation with the court in the due process to fix responsibility. He views Haqqani as the key player in the sordid affair along with the American Mansoor Ijaz. It is the word of the Army Chief regarding the reality of the memo pitted against the stand of the government on its unreality and dubious character. The two are headed for a faceoff or an outright confrontation depending on the verdict of the Supreme Court. While the government could take refuge under political verbiage and reinterpretation, the Army Chief would have no such safety device available to him vis-à-vis the institution and the men under his command. (Dec 24, 2011)
• DT (pp.1)/Isb: “Taking memo to SC conspiracy against democracy: PML-N MNA”: PML-N MNA from Chakwal Ayaz Amir has criticised his party’s top leadership, saying that Nawaz Sharif’s going to the Supreme Court in memogate scandal was a conspiracy against the government and democracy. It is important to note that since Nawaz Sharif went to the SC, Ayaz Amir has been criticising the party leadership and he has been asked to explain his position over his remarks. Sources reveal he has developed serious differences and seen more closer to the prime minister and the ruling PPP. (Dec 24, 2011)
• DT (pp.8)/ James Lamont: “Khan sets sight on game-change”: When Imran Khan walks out on Sunday to address a rally of his supporters in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, his aim will be to better a star performance he made in Lahore in October that overnight changed perceptions of his political leadership. The rise in support for Mr Khan has coincided with the so-called “Memogate” scandal – an allegation that Asif Ali Zardari, the president, authorised the dispatch of a secret memo asking the US to back a plan to decisively establish civilian supremacy over Pakistan’s Military. The controversy has infuriated the Army and, crucially for the Khan campaign, weakened the Zardari administration(Dec 25, 2011)
• ·        Jang, Column, Bay sabri ya bay khabri, Sana Bucha: If we look memo case in depth, it is learnt that military elite seems in more haste than President Zardari as General Pasha has visited London and the nation remains ignorant. Memo case has taught a good lesson to so many politicians. On the other hand, both Supreme Court and General Kayani have categorically stated that there is no threat to democracy but I don’t agree as General Kayani has declined the option of military coup not memo case. This case is the fundamental breach between civil and military relationship. (Dec 25, 2011)
• Nation, Colum, All in the name of democracy, Jalees Hazir: Differences between the PPP Govt and the security establishment on the memo case presently before the Supreme Court have obviously triggered the recent Prime Minister-led PPP onslaught against the Military leadership, but do the differences run deeper than that? Is the Prime Minister irked only by the fact that the Chief of Army Staff and the ISI Director General submitted their replies and affidavits to the Supreme Court without observing the norms of parliamentary democracy as interpreted by his party? Were they supposed to get their submissions approved by the Prime Minister before they presented them before the Supreme Court? Or are these differences on how to handle the memo affair only a symptom of a far more significant divide between the PPP leadership and the security establishment on the review of Pak-US relations currently underway. (Dec 25, 2011)
• Nation (pp.5)/Abrar Saeed: “MPs’ body divided on memo issue; PCNS divided over memo scandal probe”: There was a sharp divide in the members of Parliamentary Committee on National Security on the committee’s deliberations on memo controversy and those who opposed it were of the view that as the Supreme Court of Pakistan had already taken up the issue so there was no need for the committee to take up this issue. Some members of the committee not belonging to ruling coalition even suspect that the Govt may use the committee for political ends and even use it as a shield against the Supreme Court’s verdict and could pitch both the constitutional institutions against each other. (Dec 26, 2011)
• Dawn/Nation/Jang/NW/Express/News/ Jinnah/Khabrain/Islam /DT (pp.1)/ Hasnaat Malik: “Memo a pack of lies, federation’s rejoinder tells Supreme Court, Rejoinder declares that Mansoor Ijaz had tried to pitch institutions in Pakistan against each other, Pasha should have informed PM about his meeting with Ijaz”: In reply to the affidavits of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha in the memo case, the federation on Monday stated that General Pasha should have first informed Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani of his meeting with US-based businessman Mansoor Ijaz. To para 10 of the Army Chief’s affidavit that ‘there is nothing denying the facts that the ‘memo’ exists and it is also admitted to have been delivered and received by the US authorities’, the federation’s affidavit submitted that ‘Kayani’s opinion needs no comments’. (Dec 27, 2011)
• Dawn (pp.1)/Nasir Iqbal: “Govt in no mood to back down in memo case”:In response to the rely of the Army Chief, the federal Govt in its affidavit conceded that the COAS had come to know about the details of the controversial memorandum thorough ISI Chief on Oct 24, but questioned why it took him so long to report the Prime Minister in a case, where, according to him, time was of the essence. Similarly, in reference to the reply of DG ISI, the Govts affidavit said the ISI Chief was fully aware as to whom he is liable to report under the relevant laws and rules. (Dec 27, 2011)
• DT (pp.2)/ M Akram: “Memogate: let’s stop where it stands”: ‘Tsunami’ word connotes destruction and Imran Khan-led political ‘tsunami’ is doing the same to the mainstream political parties in the country. After defeating the likes of PML-Q, a creation of the Military establishment and the most vulnerable political minnows, the PTI has put its feet in the home ground of the MQM and won a tour beginner friendly match in the bastion of an old creation of the very establishment which hitherto kept Karachi a ‘no-go’ area for other political players for about three decades now. (Dec 27, 2011)
• DT, Column, Nothing but a lie, Mehmal Sarfraz: The Memogate scandal changed everything. The Military seems to be upset with the PPP but the Govt has finally stood up to it and made it quite clear that it will not go down without a fight. Some say tensions between them were somewhat defused after Prime Minister Gilani took direct digs at the Army and the ISI that led General Kayani to issue a rather defensive statement that the Army is “fully cognizant of its constitutional obligations and responsibilities”; others believe that the Military has not backed down since it issued a veiled threat to the PPP when General Kayani said that “there can be no compromise on national security” in the same statement. This cat and mouse game will not end until and unless the issue of civil-Military imbalance is addressed. (Dec 27, 2011)
• Dawn, Column, Dangerous moments, Mohammad Waseem: In recent days, Pakistan experienced extremely tense moments, ranging from a series of memogate revelations hitting right, left and centre, followed by their reverberation in the Supreme Court hearings, to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani`s outburst against the Military establishment. The DG ISI earlier travelled to the UK to cull information about the memo without seeking his permission. Both Army Chief Gen Kayani and DG ISI Lt Gen Shuja Pasha submitted their affidavits bypassing the prime minister. The contents of these affidavits were made public, thus overriding the confidentiality of the matter. Obviously, Nawaz Sharif`s recourse to the judicial route favoured the Army by default and put the PPP on the spot. If the Army moves in, Nawaz Sharif`s fate is sealed. The Army Chief`s statement has provided some relief, but it can be temporary. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has declared that the days when coup makers had their action validated through the courts were over, and that any extra-constitutional change would not be allowed.(Dec 27, 2011)
• Islam, Column, Fauj, Riyasat aur Sayasa, Najeem Shah: With memo gate issue coming into the lime light, the news of President Zardari’s urgent trip led to many rumours and it still refuses to halt even after his return. COAS General Kayani’s recent statement that the rumours of a Military coup are totally baseless and are done to divert the attention from real pressing issues that needs to be addressed. He said democracy is safe in Pakistan and that Army has no intention whatsoever to take control of the Govt. This statement however left the Govt surprised. Prime Minister’s strict way of addressing matters is an indication of the mounting pressure on the Govt. General Kayani, merely 24 hours after PM’s speech, explained his view and put the ball in the Govt’s court. In the present scenario when intrigues are carries out to create a wedge between the Army, ISI and the masses, it is a hideous task to hold the command of Military. General Kayani’s statement came as a ray of hope in the present critical phase as it not only clarified Army’s motives but also saved it from accusations and ambiguities. (Dec 27, 2011)
• Army and government are on vigilance of each other; Army want decision on memo gate case and it is the demand of entire armed forces. (Samaa, News Beat, Sheikh Rasheed, AML, (Dec 27, 2011)
• President is considered involved in Memogate because He was interfering in foreign policy, he has no role in such affairs but he is interfering. (ARY, Off the record, Sardar Asif Ali, PTI)  (Dec 27, 2011)
• Situation is very critical because army and govt took totally different stance on Memo issue in SC. (Dunya, Cross Fire , Mushaiddullah, PML-N) (Dec 27, 2011)
• We also wanted the investigation of Memo scandal that is why we referred this issue to security committee. (Dunya, Cross Fire , Mehreen Anwer Raja, PPP )(Dec 27, 2011)
• DT (pp.1)/ Isb: “Haqqani’s counsel asks SC to summon Ijaz”: Asma Jehangir, counsel of Husain Haqqani in the memo case, pleaded on Wednesday before the apex court that American-Pakistani businessman Mansoor Ijaz be summoned to appear before the bench in order to be cross-questioned. The Chief justice noted that Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha had acknowledged the existence of the memorandum. (Dec 29, 2011)
• Jinnah/Express/Nation/News (pp.1)/Sohail Khan: “Memo in court as assemblies fail to work properly: CJ”: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Wednesday said the memo issue would not have been brought before the court had the assemblies been functioning properly. The Chief justice observed that only the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and DG ISI Ahmed Shuja Pasha had substantiated the existence of the memo, terming it a reality allegedly written against the Pakistan Army to the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. (Dec 29, 2011)

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