Islamabad, Dec 11 (IANS): Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the memogate scandal is not an issue as Mansoor Ijaz, the writer of the document and who is also not a Pakistani, is not a credible person.
Talking to a panel of a private television channel Saturday, Gilani revealed when the leader of the opposition raised the question of the memo in the parliament, he had said he would summon Hussain Haqqani, then the Pakistani ambassador to the US, to Islamabad and would not condemn him unheard, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
The prime minister said Haqqani returned to Pakistan and explained his position in the presence of President Asif Ali Zardari, army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI chief Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha.
Gilani said he, however, asked Haqqani to resign to enable a fair trial and immediately referred the matter to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.
Replying to a question, Gilani said Mansoor Ijaz did not have any credibility and he had even maligned other institutions in his writings.
Reiterating his commitment to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Gilanil categorically said that he would rather quit politics than stab the party.
"I am committed to the party. I am with the party and I would rather quit politics than stab the party," Gilani said.