News
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
First head rolls* Husain Haqqani resigns as Pakistan’s ambassador to US ‘for the sake of democracy’
* Says he is ready to face any inquiry
* PM House says Gilani demanded resignation
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The ‘memogate’ scandal claimed its first scalp on Tuesday as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, who had been at the center of the controversy, resigned from the post.
The development came following the meeting of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, ISI Chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, where Haqqani was summoned to give his version. The embattled envoy reportedly faced tough questions from the participants of the meeting, which culminated in the directives from the prime minister to hold an inquiry into the scandal.
Reports said Haqqani was questioned about every aspect of the memo scandal. The questions asked were prepared by the military top brass, sources said. According to spokesman of the Prime Minister’s House, the prime minister directed a detailed investigation at an appropriate level while asking Haqqani to submit his resignation so that the investigation could be carried out properly. The spokesman said that all concerned would be afforded sufficient and fair opportunity to present their views and the investigation shall be carried out fairly, objectively and without bias.
According to the PM House spokesman, the PM asked Haqqani to resign, however, the latter tweeted on his account, stating: “I have requested PM Gilani to accept my resignation as Pakistan Ambasssador to US.” “I have much to contribute to building a new Pakistan free of bigotry & intolerance. Will focus energies on that,” he said.
Haqqani said he stood by earlier denials, insisting he had nothing to do with the memo that was sent to then-US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen in May. Haqqani is a key ally of President Asif Ali Zardari and was generally well regarded in Washington, where he had a difficult job representing Pakistan during several crises, including the aftermath of the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.
It was not immediately known who would replace Haqqani in a post considered crucial, given Washington’s desire to work with Pakistan to defeat al Qaeda and negotiate a way out of the Afghan war. Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, writing in a column in the Financial Times on October 10, said a senior Pakistani diplomat had asked that a memo be delivered to the Pentagon with a plea for US help to stave off a military coup in the days after the May 2 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Ijaz later identified the diplomat as Haqqani. No evidence has emerged that the military was plotting a coup and the Pentagon at the time dismissed the memo as not credible.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk