ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted one month to the federal government to bring back former Pakistan ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani to Pakistan.

The top court also warned the federal government that it would not hear any excuse.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heading a three-judge bench, observed that some people, in talk shows on TV channels, were pointing out as to why the court had reopened Memogate scandal and questioning the court’s objectives.

He made it clear that the court had no ulterior designs but only wanted the implementation of the law.

Justice Nisar further observed that there should be no discussion in the media on pending cases, adding that talk show participants, who had no knowledge of the law, were discussing the cases.

During the hearing, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director-General (DG) Bashir Memon apprised the bench that the Karachi judicial magistrate had issued arrest warrant for Haqqani.

He added that there was a process for issuing red warrant, which they had to adopt adding that they would hire the services of a lawyer for filing a case against ex-envoy in the US.

A day ago, the top court had also rejected the FIA report, terming it an eye-wash.

In 2011, former Pakistan ambassador to US Husain Haqqani had allegedly delivered a memo to former US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Admiral Mike Mullen through Mansoor Ijaz.

The memo allegedly had requested the US for its support to Pakistani civilian government against its military establishment after May 2 raid.

The apex court on December 1, 2011, had formed a commission, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and comprised Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman, and Justice Mushir Alam to probe the authenticity and purpose of creating/drafting of memo for delivering it to the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.

Findings of the commission stated, “It has been incontrovertibly established that the memorandum was authentic and Mr Haqqani, former ambassador of Pakistan in USA, was the originator and architect of the memorandum. Mr Haqqani sought American help; he also wanted to create a niche for himself, making himself forever indispensable to the Americans. He lost sight of the fact that he is a Pakistani citizen and Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, and therefore his loyalty could only be to Pakistan.”

On January 29, the chief justice, while hearing a case regarding right of vote to overseas Pakistanis had summoned details of the Memogate case.

The FIR registered against Haqqani on March 10, 2018 stated, “it revealed that [the] accused Husain Haqqani during his posting as ambassador of Pakistan in [the] USA [from May 2008 to November 2011] in collaboration with other concerned officers/officials misused his official position, committed cheating, criminal breach of trust and misappropriated approximately USD two million of national exchequer of Pakistan per year dishonestly and fraudulently.”

The enquiry of the FIA further transpired that Haqqani with the criminal intent manipulated the government funds thereby causing huge wrongful loss to the government exchequer.

Accordingly a case is being registered against Haqqani, the FIR stated.

“Role of other[s] involved in this crime of embezzlement will be thoroughly thrashed out during the course of investigation,” it further stated.

“Further investigations are underway and will be finalised on receipt of relevant documents and record from the concerned quarters inclusive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad,” the FIR read.

On February 5, Haqqani in a statement said that there were number of successors of former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry but none of them touched the case.

“It has been six years since I submitted a review petition to correct legal mistakes in the case. Will the court hear this case too?” he wondered.

Haqqani had also stated that he would not come to Pakistan on orders of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar as his orders could not be extended outside Pakistan.

However, on February 15, the top court had issued arrest warrants against Haqqani.