Farhanaz Ispahani, wife of former Pakistan ambassador to United States Husain Haqqani, has met US State Department officials to express concerns for her husband’s safety in Pakistan.
State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland while confirming her meetings said, “We have regular contact with her, and we have since he went home.”
She said the Memogate issue was Pakistan’s internal matter, and the “US respects Pakistan’s constitutional and legal processes. At the same time, US expects that any process for resolving the matter of Ambassador Haqqani will proceed in a way that is fair, transparent and that is as expeditious as possible.” The spokesperson said the US expected that Haqqani would be accorded all due consideration under Pakistani law and in conformity with international legal standards. She said the US would be watching and monitoring the situation closely.
“The situation is obviously evolving in Pakistan, so we want to see it evolve in a manner that meets the highest international legal standards,” Nuland explained. Asked if this message had been conveyed to the Pakistani officials as well, Nuland replied in the affirmative.
She denied that any body from the State Department spoke to Haqqani officially since he left, but refused to answer when asked if there was any contact with him privately.
Farahnaz Ispahani, who is also a member of the National Assembly, was in Dubai with President Asif Ali Zardari as his staff member when he was being treated for his heart disease and went directly to the US from Dubai to lobby for her husband’s safety in Pakistan in the wake of Memogate controversy.
I wonder what Ms. Nuland has to say about US Supreme Court anointing George W. Bush President, when Al Gore had actually won the election! Did that "meet with highest international legal standards" that she now asks of Pakistan? I think not.
U.S. Government and its law makers should stay out of Pakistan's internal affairs and let the legal process take its course. By publicly siding with Haqqani, they may make things more difficult for him.
A very sensible comment. US attitude does not help Haqqani.
The culture of Pakistan politics requires a major paradigm shift. Politicians must learn where to draw a line and must not seek 'Americans wisdom' to solve their problems.
Comments are closed.