Haqqani meets Grossman before boarding Pakistan bound flight
A State Department official, who did not wish to be named, said that the case of the memo was discussed in the meeting.
The official added that Ambassador Grossman said he had never seen the memo until it was made public. He also referred back to Admiral Mullen’s comments on the memo.
In comments issued via his spokesperson in Foreign Policy, Admiral Mullen did not find the memo credible when he received it.
Earlier on Friday, the State Department spokesperson Mark Toner told reporters at the press briefing that he was not going to engage in speculation. “Our understanding is that he’s still the ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, and we continue to have regular interactions with him, as we do with a number of people with – both within the Pakistani Government.”
Toner added that the United States “clearly support the democratically elected Government of Pakistan, as well as its constitutional processes.”
Haqqani on a flight to Pakistan
Pakistan's Ambassador waved good bye to America, maybe the last time as a Pakistani envoy to the US, as he boarded a flight back to his motherland.
Minutes before his flight was to take off, the ambassador tweeted:
On way to motherland.#Pakistan
COMMENTS (55)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Aslam Niazi: Could not have agreed more with you ! Haqqani is the not only the most credible man for Pakistan in Wahington at present, but only option really, considering the crucial period ahead over next 12-18 months with views in Washington getting harder in regards to Pakistan and their Aid. Furthermore in all sincerity, everything stated in the Memo is actually true about the state of Pakistan today !!!
Not a fan of Haqqani, but it would be worst if he is sacked on fake evidences of a person who has no love lost of Pakistan. It is unfortunate that our agencies become super active to trace politicians, but when it comes to real terrorists, it has no clue at all. What are Mansoor Ijaz Thoughts for Pakistan are quite interesting for those who think that they are ideological and Territorial defenders of Pakistan and paying heed to Mansoor’s alleged Memo and if they are giving the memo so much importance then should read this:- “A rescue plan for Pakistan Without bold, urgent action, the country – and its nuclear weapons – could fall to the Taliban. By Mansoor Ijaz / April 24, 2009 Mansoor Ijaz, an American of Pakistani descent, is a venture capitalist and financier.” Here is the link of his article. http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2009/0424/p09s01-coop.html. After reading this article one can find what his murky thoughts about Pakistan military are and Government. He is wolf in sheep clothing. Hussain Haqqani is most credible and worthy diplomat of Pakistan, if he loses his job it would be a great blow for this country.
@Riaz Khan:
Wah! When some Mullah or right wing does some mistake, you guys don't ask any proof and rely on media to prove him wrong.
When a leftist extremist did same, you are now seeking the point of view.
HH, we are with you
Time will come when we will see how much you are with him. Will you stay with him in jail if he's proved as a traitor? Offcourse not because you will not like to quit your business of making statements in chilled rooms.
Talking about Punjabis, well majority of politicians are Punjabis too so keep your ethnic crap for someone else.
Army should chase extremists Huqqanis in North Waziristan instead of chasing civilian ambassador who clearly saw interference of army in democracy process from long time.
@Muhammad Ali: Yes we have one of them got asylyum in foreign coutnry
The contents of the memo are way too glaringly selloff of Pakistan that no Pakistani, even as bad as Hqqani and even Zardari will ever think of. How could they ask for protection from one umbrella only to have a thousand time aasman hovering above them (US).(Pak army will at least kill and put the dead body in 'shade' as against them who will dump it in the sea.) By logic it does not equate. Therefore the memo is a farce cooked by Mansoor and US.
Miss the old days when firing squad is the last thing these traitors see.
@rk We all know that the US takes advantage of Pakistan's poverty, but the reality is that the US is not Pakistan's master whether you like it or not.
Pakistan has single-handedly frustrated US plans in the region and therefore the US is in such an uproar about Pakistan.
Pakistani nation is with you Haqqani : )
The main question is 1. Is the army/ISI in nexus with terrorists ? How deep and high-up does the nexus go ? 2. Did ISI/Army threaten the democratically elected government when it was caught in the OBL scandle ? 3. Does the civilian government in Pakistan live in fear of the army who are accountable to none ?
Who drafted the memo or who sent it to Mullen, seeking help to save the civilian giovernment is relatively minor issue.
Which memo?? O, the one with TREASON written all over!!!
Are all the liars who were predicting that Haqqani would never go back to Pakistan going to apologize for their lies and mis information? Or as usual they are going to continue supporting the rumor mill? Let all the facts come out before making a final decision. Why all of a sudden the army has become the darling of the rightwing mob after they were caught in bed with OBL?
The Pakistani Ambassador to the USA meets with America's special envoy to Pakistan and you think this is newsworthy? You guys have to get a life.
so what?
If Pakistani government and its leaders mainly Mr.Zardari serious about Pakistan interest, they should immediately appoint an inquiry commission with highest authority of Supreme court to get to the bottom of this, but they will try to avoid any way they can, because they are involved in this mess. What happened to OBL commission, it has been over seven month, no body knows what it is doing. there should be full inquiry on this, and Mr.Haqqani should be investigated with full force, and he should be removed from his ambassadorial post. He is a disgraced for Pakistan and its interest, and Zardari also has to go,because without his permission, there is no way Haqqani could have done this
@MAHER ALI: - bro try not to be offended by them , it's just politely requesting pakistan , something like when you go to a chinese restaurant and request for " fried rice " - after all they still have the RIGHT to reply " solly, - we has nooo fly lice today "
@Muhammad Ali: Forget India. It does not happen even in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka or Even Nepal. Bangladesh it trying its former military officers in court. Sri Lanka just sentenced it former army chief to 3 years imprisonment.
The chants of Long Live Osama have come true !!!!!!!!! From the deep seas, he is still haunting and taunting the Deep State.
Remember the old saying "Atte ki Diya: Ghar mein choohe khah jaya, Bahar Kauwa leeh jaye" (Lamp made from wheat flower: Rats shall eat them if kept in the house, Crows shall take away if kept outside).
What will happen to Zawahiri and Mullah Omar?
I think Hussain haqqani should be treated as innocent until there is some credible evidence linking him and his master(?) to MEMO. Media frenzy is creating such a hype that it seems he would be hanged on arrival or else be arrested. Please- To Media People- show some civilization.
Regards
The greatest fights - Good, Bad and the Ugly:
Mohammad Ali Vs. George Foreman (Good) Zulfiquar Vs. Zia (Bad) Asif Vs Ashfaq (coming soon - Would it be Ugly?
@furqan:
I is people like you who distribute sweets and cheer when another army person takes over the country. You should be ashamed of yourself.
returning to "motherland" indeed! The same mother you will sell for a few dollars. Shame on you.
Who cares what the Americans think... They are not our masters...
@ Mirza You are the only apologist this guy Haqqani has right now.....think about it!!!!
Haqqani has sold himself to US.
He is no more a credible ambassador who can represent and protect the interest of Pakistan.
Haqanni should seek immediate political asylum or else the powers that rule Pakistan will put him in an asylum once he lands in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan simply does not have competant person to take over from Haqqani, as he really does have a network and know how of the inner workings of Washington !!!
Look. Haqqani is more blunt than any one in the PPP government. He wrote a book years ago (Between Mosque and Military) clearly indicated who rule the roost. It was a misake if any one in the PPP government was seeking US assurance to press the GHQ in Rawalpindi to decssest from taking over. The GHQ never cared about the outside world as far as their plan A, B or C was concerned. This time they would also care little if the regime failed to comply the agenda the PPP government was given.
I think this issue is not related to Haqqani.Haqqani is bound to deliver what political leaders give him.The issue is related to president zardari.He should be trailed under article 6 of the constitution.
Can anybody point out anything treasonous that Haqqani did? In fact, history will tell that he was the only high-profile Pakistani who wanted the skulduggery to end. Fact was, the insidious activities of the "establishment" was not longer a secret anymore. They were not nearly as clever as they thought. Osama put paid to that contention. The only way Pakistan would have survived with its credibility intact was to disown the real "traitors" who were denigrating Pakistan by supporting elements that would have only harmed Pakistan further.
It is sickening to see a civilian govt trying to control army. Army is the saviour and ruler of Pakistan. Corrupt politicians of all parties should be thrown out for good. Viva la Army !
Have you ever heard , Indian diplomat , Indian President & Indian Army involved in such controversies.
Heads should roll and ultimately president zardari should be removed from his position if proven he has any involement in all this fiasco. So for me here is another test for PMLN. Time will tell if Mr Nawaz and his party will play the role of a credible opposition and pursue this matter through the parliament and the constitution. Nawaz Sharrif always complains why is the army always getting involved in such issues? Its because the opposition is incapable of protecting the soverignity of Pakistan. They are too busy playing the friendly opposition role!
@ MAHER ALI
100% correct, NO doubt
The real show of Cats and dogs going on in Pakistan... each and every on who is disgarcing and looting pakistan and its people should be hanged without wasting time as we have wasted alot. we as people of pakistan must tell the looters that we are awake now u cant use us again. this was last chance for all of them whether its PPP( A t0 Z) , ANP, MQM , Muslim Leauge(A to Z), and PTI ( if not shown any progress in his words) Its time of change
@MAHER ALI: Have you made an announcement otherwise? So if they say they consider Haqqani as ambassador whatelse do you want them to say? He is so and till an announcement will remain so.
Haqqani on way to Pakistan? I bet he is taking stomach pills even though Grossman has perhaps assured him that he will not vanish in Pakistan?
@Maher Ali. Relax, man, your government hasn't replaced the ambassador yet. When (and if) you do the United States will accept the appointment. That's how these things work.
State Department says they still consider Haqqani to be Pakistan's Ambassador to the US... who is state department to decide who will be our ambassador?? Oh, its USA, our Lord, they are giving us $ so they have every right to do ANYTHING in ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN....
I feel PPP government has to fulfill promises made to US to complete their tenure but unfortunately they are failed to do so including operation in N Waziristan. US is now feeling uneasy and fedup with incompetence of PPP gov and they need to talk with the real power house so I feel PPP time is over after Zardari Haqqani was the most powerful man of the Zardari government and his downfall will be the start of End but in any case I pray for Pakistan. Long Live Pakistan
I can recall a similar episode. Javed Hashmi (PML-N), in a press conference on 20 October 2003, had read a letter that he received in mail, signed anonymously by some active military officers at GHQ, calling for an investigation into the corruption in the armed forces and criticizing Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf, and his relationship with the American President George W. Bush. He was arrested and his trial was held in the central Adiala Jail instead of a district and sessions court at the Lahore High Court, which raised doubts about its fairness. On 12 April 2004, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison for inciting mutiny in the army, forgery, and defamation.
On 2011, entire raucous has been created due to a US businessman's claim regarding an anonymous memo published by him in the US newspaper and reportedly authorised by our Civilian Ambassador. Surprisingly, everyone has started to believe its authenticity without any investigation or solid proof.
When US raided OBL camp inside Pakistan and our forces failed to protect our borders, neither our Army Chief nor our Air Force Chief resigned out of shame. Why would anyone write a memo to seek help in saving the government from military takeover when the people responsible for failure to protect the borders are Services Chiefs and not the Prime Minister or President of Pakistan?
Haqqani may have made a mistake, but considering the long mistrust between Islamabad and Pindi has caused this. I hope Zardari and Kiani solve this case because any clash over this issue would not be in Pakistan's interest.
By the way, even after this, I like Haqqani.
OBL's friends and protectors would be all over him. They were all making stories that he would never return to Pakistan. He is not general Iskander Mirza or Gen Mush to run away from homeland or surrender to his enemies. Time to weed out terrorist's friends and apologists. The whole civilized world should force the deep state to behave like paid govt servants and not masters.
They didn't do anything against the Haqqani that America was asking for from pakistan's army but I'm sure pakistan's army will definately take action against this Haqqani :)
yes he has to meet his real masters before boarding the flight , no wonder...