The memogate controversy has raised questions about the strength of Pakistan’s civilian government, BBC quoted Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar in a report published on Saturday.
The memo, allegedly sent by President Asif Ali Zardari, asked for Washington’s help to avert a military takeover following the killing of Osama bin Laden in May. It was delivered to Admiral Mike Mullen, then chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani, who denied authoring the unsigned memo, lost his job – many believe at the army’s insistence. The foreign minister admitted the controversy had provoked questions about the authority of the civilian government here, and created the impression that the army is pulling the levers of power.
“Sadly it does,” she said. “I cannot deny that, and that’s an unfortunate part that something as ludicrous as this could raise more questions. It doesn’t take much to be able to raise those questions.”
Asked who had the upper hand – the civilian government or the army – the minister replied that it was “an evolutionary process”. “You cannot change things overnight. The army has had a larger-than-life role to play in Pakistan’s history. However, you do have a democratic set up.”
Pakistan’s opposition is asking the Supreme Court to determine who sent the memo and why. The foreign minister insisted that an inquiry announced by the government would be thorough, though critics doubt that.
“The inquiry would be at the highest level, something which satisfies all parties, all people, all constituencies, who have raised concern about this entire issue. And we would hope that… this is where it should and will stop,” Khar added. But the questions are likely to persist: chief among them whether Zardari authorised the memo himself. Khar said that any suggestion that the president was linked to the memo was “ridiculous”.
She refused to comment on whether or not the government was in talks with the Pakistani Taliban. The government has said it wants to hold negotiations with the Taliban in order to “give peace a chance”. In recent days, militants have been sending mixed messages about whether or not there are contacts taking place.
Khar said Pakistan could help in the search for peace in Afghanistan, but it had not brokered any more meetings between envoys of the Haqqani group – Afghan insurgents believed to operate in Pakistan’s tribal belt – and US representatives. Pakistan’s spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), arranged an initial meeting between the two sides in the summer. “Pakistan cannot guarantee anything,” Khar said, adding, “We can play a positive role, but it has to be at the request of the Afghans. If the Afghans distrust us, there’s less space for us.”
Pakistan tested by ‘memogate’ row, says foreign minister
