MQM criticises US court order against Pak intelligence personnel

Bhitshah, Dec 26 (ANI): Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has strongly reacted to a US Court order seeking appearance of top Pakistani intelligence personnel to testify in a compensation suit connected with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Last week, a US court had issued summons to the chief of Pakistan's main spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and some top members of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for appearing before the court next month in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror siege.

"Pakistan is a sovereign state and if any conspiracy is hatched to malign the ocuntry's defenders, then US interests will be equally harmed," the Daily Times quoted Altaf, as saying in his telephonic address from London to a public meeting at Bhitshah, Pakistan.

The MQM Chief urged the Pakistan Government to take the nation and parliament into confidence on the issue.

As a counter measure, a Pakistani court could be asked to issue similar orders in the Aafia Siddiqui case, and even demand her repatriation, Altaf suggested.

DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, his predecessor Lt Gen (r) Nadeem Taj, Major Ali and Major Iqbal are among the Pakistani officials who have been summoned, while LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and his operational commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi are also in the summons list.

The orders are part of a case filed by an injured US citizen and the heirs of four others who were killed in the terror strike on Nov 26, 2008. (ANI)