Pak Supreme Court issues arrest warrant for ex US envoy

Pakistans Supreme Court today issued an arrest warrant for the country's former envoy to the US Husain Haqqani after he failed to appear before it in the 'Memogate' case.
The Memogate case is based on a 'memo' which Haqqani, who currently lives in the US, allegedly gave to a high-ranking American official in May 2011, seeking US help against possible military intervention.
Haqqani denied any role in the 'memo' but a judicial commission in 2012 held him responsible.
A case was also launched at the Supreme Court against him and he was forced to quit as Pakistan's Ambassador to the US.

Haqqani left the country in January 3, 2013 after a commitment with the court that he would come back to face charges but never returned.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on February 1 set up a three-member bench to take up the case.

During todays hearing, he said that Haqqani had submitted an undertaking before leaving for the US that he would appear before the court but has failed.
A court official said that Additional Attorney General Rana Waqar told the court that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has asked Interpol to issue a red warrant against Haqqani.
He also informed the court that the FIA needs an arrest warrant issued by the court to proceed against Haqqani.

The bench accepted the plea and issued the arrest warrant against him.
It is however unlikely that he would return or handed over by the US authorities to Pakistan.
Haqqani said recently that he would not return to face the case.