New storm
by
Javed Hafiz |
Haqqani has quit but the fallout continues to embarrass the government
The notorious memorandum allegedly drafted by Hussain Haqqani, former Pakistani envoy to the United States, and passed on to Admiral Mullen via Mansoor Ijaz, has created a political storm in the country. Haqqani was made to resign and a far more balanced person, Sherry Rehman, has since been nominated to replace him. This is one positive gain from this otherwise bizarre episode. The memo was sent in May, soon after the Bin Laden episode. After a lapse of five months, Mansoor Ijaz decided to spill the beans with an article in the Financial Times on Oct. 10. The government of Pakistan chose to ignore the issue completely until Imran Khan raised it at a Lahore rally.
The two major characters at the centre of this drama, Hussain Haqqani and Mansoor Ejaz, have some common traits. Both are well educated, highly intelligent and ambitious. Haqqani is a maverick who started as a student leader with a right-wing political party in Karachi. A journalist by training, he rose to be the federal information secretary in mid 1990’s under prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Soon afterwards, he was appointed high commissioner to Sri Lanka. When someone asked him as to why he had accepted this diplomatic assignment after a stint as federal secretary, he replied that the suffix of ‘former ambassador’ would be a value addition as syndicated columnist in the future.
Haqqani then became a writer and started teaching in the United States. In his book, Pakistan Between Mosque and Military, his views about civilian supremacy over the military establishment came out loud and clear. Haqqani is a master at judging rising stars. While in the United States, he became the eyes and ears of Benazir Bhutto while she was still struggling. Lately Haqqani was an important link between Zardari and Washington. Mansoor Ijaz was born to highly educated parents of Pakistani origin, in the United States. His father had served in the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. Mansoor studied engineering but later chose to become a fund manager in Wall Street. He became close to the Democratic Party but also kept a liaison with Bush era neocons. Like Haqqani, he is media savvy and was a popular guest in Fox News talk shows.
Haqqani has resigned but the fallout of this episode continues to embarrass the government. Nawaz Sharif, keen to get Zardari’s scalp, has rushed to the Supreme Court. Imran Khan too is calling for an independent inquiry by a Supreme Court judge. Both Imran and Nawaz think that the government- arranged inquiry would be an eyewash. The important point to be established is whether the memo was actually drafted by Haqqani and if so, was it done on the instructions of President Zardari . Mansoor Ijaz is ready to come to Pakistan to assist in the inquiry. Haqqani vehemently denies the allegation that he played any role. While Zardari enjoys immunity from judicial trial, he can be questioned about his possible role. But the inquiry by a government-appointed investigator or trial by court would face quite a few impediments. Will Admiral Mullen and General James Jones be ready to testify? Will BlackBerry be ready to give all the details of messages exchanged between Haqqani and Mansoor Ijaz?
Many of his detractors allege that Haqqani was more loyal to the US than Pakistan. They cite the liberal issuance of visas to the likes of Raymond Davis, without prior clearance, as a proof. They also cite the original wording of the Kerry Lugar Bill as an example. However, I do not agree with that assessment. Haqqani was an effective ambassador in Washington. I have no qualms about his views on civil-military relations either. But trying to establish civilian supremacy over military establishment in Pakistan through another country is certainly not acceptable. However, let us not condemn Haqqani before the results of the inquiry are out.
Haqqani always gave the impression that he was Zardari’s man in Washington and that helped his ultimate fall. An envoy represents the state but works under the government. Haqqani is reported to have often bypassed the Foreign Office and even the prime minister. An ambassador represents all the institutions of his country. That there was a trust deficit between Haqqani and the military establishment in Pakistan was common knowledge. An envoy should be loyal to his country and its institutions and not to any person or selected institutions.
There are also clear rules about the channels of communication. I knew ex-prime minister Shaukat Aziz from my Riyadh postings days but I never corresponded with him directly as ambassador. But then Haqqani was no ordinary ambassador!
Oman Tribune |
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