Pak diplomat takes refuge in PM's house!
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Fazle Rashid
NEW YORK, Jan 10: Has anyone heard of a high profile diplomat taking refuge in the official residence of country's prime minister to duck arrest or abduction by the military? This has happened in Pakistan. Hussain Haqqani, the celebrated Pakistan Ambassador to the US who stepped down under cloudy circumstances, is now living with Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani at his official residence.
Haqqani, a former journalist and Boston University Professor glided through easily in Washington with easy access to the Secretary of the State, Pentagon and the White House selling Pakistan's point of views. His biggest armoury was his felicity to speak in immaculate English. He was an object of jealously for many seasoned career diplomats in Washington.
What is Haqqani's crime? He had apparently at the behest of the civil administration in Pakistan particularly so of President Zardari in a letter to the US administration had requested to rein in and clip the authority of all powerful and influential Pakistan army and the sleuth agency, the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI). This has enraged army chief Ashfaq Parvez and ISI chief Pasha.
Hounded by what he and his supporters say is a vicious smear campaign by nationalist and right wing media, Haqqani has been living with the prime minister for past five months fearing ISI would abduct and kill him. The government and Haqqani have denied several times that they had written any such memo ( letter ) to the US administration.
The civilian government had thrown its full weight behind Haqqani but was obliged to confiscate his passport under pressure by the Army. The government-and-army tension in Pakistan has never been so fierce, said New York Times (NYT) in a five column report.
Ms. Asma Jahangir, a highly respected civil right activist and a lawyer who represents Haqqani in the Supreme Court fear that her client may be picked up by the ISI and killed. The ISI has rejected it as a figment of imagination.
Haqqani is an author as well. He wrote a book "Pakistan between mosque and Military" in 2005 which derided the army for its links with the Islamic Jihadists. His adversaries say he was paid $1000 for writing the book.
Washington is closely keeping a watch on the developments surrounding Haqqani. Powerful US senators have warned not to harm Haqqani. Haqqani is married to Farahnaz Ispahani who is a member of parliament.
NEW YORK, Jan 10: Has anyone heard of a high profile diplomat taking refuge in the official residence of country's prime minister to duck arrest or abduction by the military? This has happened in Pakistan. Hussain Haqqani, the celebrated Pakistan Ambassador to the US who stepped down under cloudy circumstances, is now living with Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani at his official residence.
Haqqani, a former journalist and Boston University Professor glided through easily in Washington with easy access to the Secretary of the State, Pentagon and the White House selling Pakistan's point of views. His biggest armoury was his felicity to speak in immaculate English. He was an object of jealously for many seasoned career diplomats in Washington.
What is Haqqani's crime? He had apparently at the behest of the civil administration in Pakistan particularly so of President Zardari in a letter to the US administration had requested to rein in and clip the authority of all powerful and influential Pakistan army and the sleuth agency, the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI). This has enraged army chief Ashfaq Parvez and ISI chief Pasha.
Hounded by what he and his supporters say is a vicious smear campaign by nationalist and right wing media, Haqqani has been living with the prime minister for past five months fearing ISI would abduct and kill him. The government and Haqqani have denied several times that they had written any such memo ( letter ) to the US administration.
The civilian government had thrown its full weight behind Haqqani but was obliged to confiscate his passport under pressure by the Army. The government-and-army tension in Pakistan has never been so fierce, said New York Times (NYT) in a five column report.
Ms. Asma Jahangir, a highly respected civil right activist and a lawyer who represents Haqqani in the Supreme Court fear that her client may be picked up by the ISI and killed. The ISI has rejected it as a figment of imagination.
Haqqani is an author as well. He wrote a book "Pakistan between mosque and Military" in 2005 which derided the army for its links with the Islamic Jihadists. His adversaries say he was paid $1000 for writing the book.
Washington is closely keeping a watch on the developments surrounding Haqqani. Powerful US senators have warned not to harm Haqqani. Haqqani is married to Farahnaz Ispahani who is a member of parliament.