New Delhi: The Pakistan Supreme Court has ordered controversial US businessman Mansoor Ijaz to give his deposition in the Memogate scandal by Thursday.
Ijaz has so far evaded two hearings with his counsel Akram Sheikh asking for a venue abroad, citing security concerns.
Ijaz claims that he delivered a memo to the US administration at the behest of Pakistan's former envoy to the US Hussain Haqqani but Islamabad has denied the claims.
Ijaz's counsel in a written statement to the Judicial Commission, said that the businessman's arrival could have led to a clash between the Government and the Army.
In the statement released through his lawyer, Ijaz said he had been given 'no assurance' by any person on behalf of Pakistan government to ward off his apprehensions regarding his security.
"It seems like a well-orchestrated trap to hold Mansoor Ijaz indefinitely in Pakistan after his deposition before the commission. Therefore, Mansoor Ijaz has decided to make a request to the commission to record his statement in strict compliance with the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in London or Zurich," Sheikh told the media.
Ijaz had earlier failed to make a scheduled appearance before the three-judge commission on January 16. The commission then asked him to appear before it on January 24.
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