Accused of Taking Pakistani Payola
American businessman of Pakistan origin, Mansoor Ijaz, arrives at the Pakistan High Commission in London February 22, 2012. Ijaz was due to give evidence by video link on Wednesday, to a Judicial Commission that is investigating the memo that sought U.S. help in reining in Pakistan's generals after the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May last year. (Stefan Wermuth, Reuters / Landov)
In my column for CNN, I talk about the strange accusation hurled at me before the tribunal investigating Pakistan's memo controversy.
That was an interesting week!
On Wednesday, Google Alerts brought me a piece of startling news: A lawyer speaking to a tribunal of the Supreme Court of Pakistan had accused me of acting as a paid agent of the government of Pakistan.
No, seriously, that's what the man said.
From Pakistan's Daily Times on May 23:
"Counsel Akram Sheikh had claimed in a statement that a Pakistani embassy provided funds to Harlan Ullman and David Frum for damage control after the memo controversy."
I was so taken aback by the claim that I telephoned Sheikh to ask whether it was true. We had a short but intense exchange. Sheikh flew immediately into a rage at me, accused me of harassing him, insisted that I was somehow violating Pakistani law by telephoning him, refused to confirm or deny the Daily Times account and ended by inviting me to sue him for defamation.
My confidence in the Pakistani system of justice not being very high, I declined the latter invitation. But given that Sheikh's charges have gained a hearing inside Pakistan, some kind of answer seems due.
About the Author
David Frum
David Frum is a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast and a CNN contributor. He is the author of eight books, including most recently the e-book WHY ROMNEY LOST and his first novel Patriots, published in April 2012.
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