Pakistan court lifts Haqqani travel ban

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A travel ban on Husain Haqqani, the former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, has been lifted by Pakistan's Supreme Court.

At the same time, the court gave a judicial commission two more months to complete an investigation into the memo scandal that led to Haqqani's resignation in November, Press Trust of India reported.

Haqqani has been labeled a traitor in Pakistan after Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged Haqqani had drafted a memo backed by President Asif Zardari that asked the U.S. government to help oust Pakistan's military leadership.

Zardari and Haqqani have denied any involvement in the alleged memo.

The nine-judge court granted a request by Haqqani's lawyer, Asma Jehangir, to ease travel restrictions for her client, who has family abroad, but said he would have to inform the Supreme Court's registrar's office when he travels abroad. Haqqani also is required to return to Pakistan within four days when the judicial commission or the Supreme Court summons him.

The Supreme Court formed the judicial commission Dec. 30 and gave it four weeks to complete its investigation, which would have given the commission until Monday. Attorney General Anwar-ul-Haq told the court the government had no objections to the commission's term being extended.

The Supreme Court rejected a request from Ijaz that the commission be asked to record his statement outside Pakistan. The court said it should be left to the commission to decide whether to record Ijaz's statement in Pakistan or abroad.