The enemy within
Mohammad Jamil
Pakistan’s former ambassador to the U.S. Hussain Haqqani has once again unleashed vicious propaganda against Pakistan and its institutions. In his soon-to-be-released book ‘Magnificent Delusions’, Hussain Haqqani states that Pakistan sponsors the terrorist groups whose members are often the targets of American drones. He reproduced the concocted story about the information given to Pakistan by the CIA about IED factory in FATA, and wrote: “A few days later, the CIA sent time-stamped photographs showing the facility being dismantled hours before the army’s arrival. The dismantling began after a man on a motorcycle went into the factory, thus leading to speculation that he had come to tip off the terrorists about the impending army operation.” Unfortunately, some over-ambitious individuals like the former ambassador to the US stoop so low as to promote their personal interests at the cost of tarnishing the image of their own country.
They do not feel ashamed while maligning their own country and depicting Pakistan’s institutions in bad light. Hussain Haqqani was appointed as Ambassador to the US by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in April 2008. People were aghast and miffed over 2nd May incident and attack on Salala check post violating the sovereignty of Pakistan. They were completely at a loss to comprehend the shenanigans of their elites and the way their country was being dragged on to a perilous precipice. In the memo prepared by Mansoor Ijaz at the behest of the ambassador, COAS General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani was accused of planning to bring down the government in the aftermath of the raid on Osama bin Laden on May 2. It asked then Chairmen Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen to use his influence to stop it, adding: “The government will allow the US to propose names of officials to investigate bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan, facilitate American attempts to target militants like Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahari and Taliban chief Mullah Omar, and allow the US greater oversight of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons”.
In the last two pages of Haqqani’s earlier book ‘Pakistan between Mosque and Military’, the author had analysed and traced the origins of the relationships between Islamist groups and military; thus disparaging Pakistan and its army. He always kept his personal interests above everything else, and his loyalties were questionable. Since, he has been instrumental in tarnishing the image of Pakistan, it is imperative to project his real face. His credentials have been dubious; he was disloyal to his family, as he divorced two wives and married the third one to fulfill his political ambitions. As a student leader he became President of student Union in Karachi University by joining Islami Jamiat-e-Tulaba – student wing of Jamat-e-Islami. But later he joined PML-N and became media advisor to Nawaz Sharif by shifting his loyalties. He had launched an unethical media campaign against PPP targeting late Nusrat Bhutto and BB, which even annoyed Mian Nawaz Sharif.
Once again, he shifted his loyalties to the PPP, and was appointed as an Ambassador of Pakistan to USA. During his stint as ambassador, he issued Pakistani visas to foreigners even when agencies concerned did not clear those foreigners to enter into Pakistani territory. He frequently wrote against Pak Army and blamed the ISI for every wrong that took place in this country. He was thoroughly exposed by the Memo Commission, which was constituted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in December 2011 under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Baluchistan High Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The Memo Commission concluded that the memorandum was real and it was authored by Hussain Haqqani. The commission confirmed that former Ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani was not a trustworthy person and had not been loyal to the state. The nine-member larger bench had issued the notices but he never appeared before the commission.
The sealed report presented by the Memo Commission was read out to the apex court’s nine-member bench, which stated that the former ambassador was a functionary of government of Pakistan but, he was not loyal to the country. It stated: “Husain Haqqani violated the Constitution of Pakistan only to prove that the civil government in Islamabad is a friend to the US and can help the US in its non-proliferation efforts”. The bench directed the report should be issued to all the petitioners and the media. He was indeed given the chance to appear before the court and clear his position, which he did not avail. Before leaving for the US, he had promised to come back to appear before the court on four days’ notice only, but he did not honor his commitment. There is a perception that even if Haqqani was not involved in memo scandal, his role in issuing visas to CIA operatives and his book in which he demonised Pakistan and its institutions were enough to put him in the dock.
Unfortunately, a section of Pakistani media emboldened him by advancing his arguments to criticize Pakistan government and military perhaps to show that they are bold and independent. Or they are also comrades in arms with him. Instead of being a voice of sanity and moderation, some of them had become a catalyst of discord and disharmony. Yet more appallingly, some palmed-off commentariat and media networks were openly acting as the agents of inimical alien powers, purveying freely the perfidies of their foreign benefactors. It has to be mentioned that the key foreign figures involved in this sensational drama were the ones whose hostility towards Pakistan was no secret. Leave alone Mansoor Ijaz, even James Jones was known for his anti-Pakistan antipathies. He was the one who immediately after assuming the charge of US national security advisor had said that India’s role in Afghanistan was “excellent” and Pakistan’s dubious and duplicitous. And all through his stint he kept Pakistan mostly on the mat. Nevertheless, Pakistan has suffered because of enemies within who have brought ignominy to Pakistan, and must be exposed by patriotic elements in the media.
