The Opportunist Actor
By Sajjad Shaukat
Although opportunism is very common in international and domestic politics, yet no patriotic individual applies it against his own native country. In this regard, Pakistan’s former Ambassador to the United States, Hussain Haqqani has broken all the records by rapidly changing loyalties, while serving the foreign interests at the cost of Pakistan.
As an ambitious student leader, Hussain Haqqani joined Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and acquired prominence by becoming President of Student Union in Karachi University. But due to his agreement with the CIA, he did not join his colleagues in the protest against the US consulate. Later, he joined Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League (N). He became media advisor to Nawaz Sharif by shifting his basic loyalties from JI to PML (N).
He launched an unethical and dirty media campaign against the top leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), targeting the late Nusrat Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. In fact, his cunning mind was at play for the sake of political fame and advancement of his personal interests. Nawaz Sharif who felt the guilt and shame wanted to get rid of him, and found a place for him in Sri Lanka by appointing him as High Commissioner.
Then, he offered his services to the former President General Pervez Musharraf and desired to be appointed as an advisor for information, but could not convince the General of his loyalties and failed to chip in Musharraf’s internal set up. Frustrated Hussain Haqqani left for USA and started a media campaign against Musharraf regime, especially against Pak Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI). Since then, he is continuing with his efforts to defame these institutions using skewed thoughts and biased judgment.
However, when he shifted his loyalties to PPP, public in Pakistan was reminded of his media campaign against PPP’s top leadership—using insulting approach and abusive contents. Cunningly, he pleaded his case in such a witty manner that PPP leadership appointed him as an Ambassador of Pakistan to the US. Unfortunately, he was caught with his sinister designs during his efforts to malign Pak Army and ISI in the Memogate Scandal.
On June 12, 2012, reality behind Memogate Case was proved, as the memo judicial commission’s report submitted in the Supreme Court, found out the truth about seeking American intervention to pre-empt a military coup after the May 2-kill Osama raid. The report established that the memorandum was authentic and Pakistan’s former Ambassador to United States, Hussain Haqqani was its originator and architect. It elaborated, “Mr Haqqani by offering his services as part of a proposed national security team to a foreign government—thus seeking to bring Pakistan’s nuclear assets under a more verifiable, transparent regime”, stating that ISI maintains “relations with the Taliban”, and offering to “eliminate Section S of the ISI and to help pigeonhole the forces lined up against your interests”, and “were acts of disloyalty to Pakistan.” The report further said, “Mr Haqqani sought American help, making himself indispensable to the Americans—he lost sight of the fact that he is a Pakistani citizen, and therefore his loyalty could only be to Pakistan.”
Pakistani-American businessman, Mansoor Ijaz, whose claims stirred the Memogate controversy, pointed out that the Supreme Court’s unveiling of the judicial commission’s report, had brought forth the “truth he had been speaking from the day the case started.”
Hussain Haqqani who had resigned from his post to face the investigations about the allegations made by Mansoor Ijaz, also attended the hearings of the Court, and joined the concerned judicial commission, but he was allowed to leave the country after an assurance that he would appear before the court whenever ordered to do so. After going to America, Hussain Haqqani had been using various pretexts, not to face the judicial commission’s inquiry. On January 4, 2012, he sent an application before the commission including a medical certificate, requesting to adjourn hearing. Haqqani also requested the commission to record his statement via video link from London. Besides, he also pretended that his mobile phone set was missing.
Nevertheless, memo judicial commission’s report proved that Hussain Haqqani had prioritised US interests over those of Pakistan by subverting the constitution of Pakistan. It has endorsed the standpoint of the Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the then ISI Chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha about the reality behind the Memogate Case. In this respect, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, and leaders of other political parties including those of civil societies also appreciated the report of the Memogate Commission. PML (N) MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif remarked that Haqqani should be tried on charges of treason and be made a lesson for others in the future. He disclosed that Hussain Haqqani “was on the payroll of the US…was being paid $2 billion for carrying out these gross activities against Pakistan’s interest.”
While serving as Pakistani Ambassador in the US, Haqqani had issued visas to many CIA agents like Raymond Davis to destabilise Pakistan. Besides, working at various American institutes, Hussain Haqqani developed secret liaisons with Indo-Israeli lobbies and became covert element of anti-Pakistan move. Particularly, this could be judged from his book, titled, “Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military.” In this book, Hussain Haqqani has targeted both military and Islamic ideology. While pointing out relationship of the Pak Army and ISI with the Islamic militants, Haqqani allegedly wrote, “since September 11, 2001, the selective cooperation of Pakistan’s military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf—sharing intelligence with the United States and apprehending Al Qaeda members—have led to the assumption that Pakistan might be ready to give up its long-standing ties with radical Islam.” In the book, He advised America, “Washington should no longer condone the Pakistani military’s support for Islamic militants.” American famous writers and authors exaggeratedly praised the book of Hussain Haqqani as it was in accordance with the hidden agenda and blame game of the US high officials and media against Pakistan and its security agencies.
Especially, Stephen P. Cohen, author of the book, “The Idea of Pakistan and The Pakistan Army” allegedly wrote, “We are in Hussain Haqqani’s debt for providing the authoritative account of the linkages between Pakistan’s powerful Islamists and its professional army.” Without any doubt, all this indicates that he is an agent of American CIA. Notably, Hussain Haqqani was even disloyal to his family. Initially, he got married in his relatives, but broke the marriage with a view to advancing his career. Afterwards, he got married with the sister of Naheed Khan—PPP activist, hoping that Naheed Khan will help in promoting his political ambitions. Motivated with his self-political desires, he left his children in Pakistan and contracted yet another marriage with Farahnaz Ispahaniin in USA.
As a friend, Haqqani is well-known for his deceitful conduct and unreliable behavior. He overestimates his abilities, maintains wicked mind-set and considers himself a rising star who can cheat anybody. In fact, having inconsistent religious beliefs and duplicity, Hussain Haqqan is very ambitious who can go to any extent in obtaining his sinister aims, and is not ashamed of bringing disgrace to his own country.
Nonetheless, perceptions play significant role in building or tarnishing the image of a country, and its top institutions. Simply speaking, if a man is not sincere to his own country, family, friends, political party and belief system, how can he be trusted to become the spokesperson of Pakistan in foreign land. In these terms, shady areas of Hussain Haqqani’s conduct, insincerity, elusive nature and malicious propaganda against his own country, Pak Army and ISI show that, he is the real opportunist actor.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations Email: sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
