Pakistan's Ambassador to US, Husain Haqqani offers resignation

Haqqan­i had earlie­r been summon­ed for a briefi­ng by Presid­ent Zardar­i.


Huma Imtiaz November 16, 2011

WASHINGTON: Sources say Ambassador Husain Haqqani has offered to resign from his post as Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States. According to the source, the Ambassador wrote a letter to President Zardari saying that he had not defamed nor undermined Pakistan’s armed services.

Sources added that Ambassador Haqqani told the President that he was being targeted for vilification by innuendo.

The Pakistani Ambassador was unavailable for comment.

The letter comes days after the Government called Ambassador Haqqani back to Pakistan. At the time, an embassy spokesperson said that Husain Haqqani would leave for Pakistan after "fulfilling his already scheduled meetings with congressmen and other senior US officials."

(Read: PPP Core Committee meeting: President to summon Hussain Haqqani for briefing)

Following the publishing of that report, the Ambassador tweeted in response to a question from a follower that summons for a briefing by the President was a normal event.

Another source claimed that Ambassador Haqani said that he had never really wanted the job in the first place and only did it for democracy and the President.

The source added that the Ambassador said that he has offered to resign and was happy to be a part of any inquiry, and that his fate is in the hands of the President.

The source said that the Ambassador will be travelling to Pakistan in the coming days as he had been asked to.

Rumours about the Ambassador's role in the allegations levelled by Mansoor Ijaz about the memo to Mullen on the sacking of Pakistan’s generals and the involvement of President Zardari and Ambassador Haqqani in the plan have been doing the rounds for days in Pakistan and the United States.

Reports of Haqqani’s offer to resign came hours after the Ambassador addressed a breakfast meeting organised by a US newspaper, where he talked about US-Pakistan relations.

Addressing the breakfast meeting, Ambassador Haqqani said, "The average American does not look upon Pakistan as a reliable ally. The average Pakistani does not look upon the United States as a friend.”

Sources also denied rumours that Ambassador Haqqani had moved out of his official residence.

COMMENTS (48)

Hafsa | 12 years ago | Reply

Ambassador Haqqani's resgnation will be Pakistan's loss. I don't think there is anyone who can do a better job in current circumstances. Not an enviable job at all, as the comments on this article show.

Safia Noureen | 12 years ago | Reply

Mansoor Ijaz is on payroll of establishment and USA high officials as well. Such goons are ever willing to sell out their loyalties to their soil and conscience against few pennies. I wonder, how foolish we are that just believe and article written by Mansoor Ijaz. The memorandum he talks about, was denied by Mike Mullen at first but later a master plan was weaved to malign image of renowned and most efficient ambassador of Pakistan Hussain Haqqani and Govt and Pakistan including President Zardari. One wonders why we are neglecting important points regarding memorandum to Mike Mullen. First, It was president himself who extended tenure of General Ashfaq Pervez Kiani and ISI chief. Further more both the institution is on the same page, claimed several times by the top brass of both the institution. How can be possible that President wrote a letter to Mike Mullen? Ambassador Hussain Haqqani is a true patriot and was the strong and only link to keep Pak-US ties afloat. He saved strenuous ties between both the countries several times and indeed he is an asset. It a well hatched conspiracy to dislodge and malign image of Hussain Haqqani.

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