ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Sunday that the country's interior ministry will provide security for Pakistani American businessman Mansoor Ijaz but billions of rupees could not be spent on this.
Ijaz, the central character of the memo scandal, has repeatedly spoken negatively about the Pakistani establishment, said Gilani, adding that it seemed as if a viceroy was coming to Pakistan not Mansoor Ijaz and billions could not be spent on his security, Geo News reported.
"Under the constitution, providing security to Ijaz is the duty of the interior ministry as and when required the Rangers and Army can also be summoned," said the prime minister while paying his condolences to the family of IT genius Arfa Karim who passed away last week.
He also said that the memo issue had sent a negative image about Pakistan internationally.
Ijaz has been summoned by the commission to Islamabad following petitions on the memo issue by the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders and others.
He was issued a one-year multiple-entry visa by the Pakistan high commission Thursday evening.
Ijaz may visit Pakistan next week for his testimony before Supreme Court set up memo commission which summoned him Jan 16. But he did not appear before it due to reservations over his security.
Meanwhile, Gilani also said that he would consider awarding Arfa, who in 2004 became the world's youngest Microsoft certified professional at the age of nine but died aged 16 following complications resulting from an epileptic stroke, with the highest civil award.