Anticipating an adverse decision from the apex court or the memo commission, former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani is all set to seek political asylum in the US, it has been learnt reliably.
In case the memo commission issues arrest warrants for Haqqani after possible rejection by the Supreme Court of his request for recording his statement via video link from London or the memo commission gave an adverse finding of the probe, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US will immediately express no-confidence against the memo commission and apex court of the country and seek political asylum in the US, sources close to Haqqani told Pakistan Today. The sources, when asked about Haqqani’s return from the US for appearing before the memo commission, said: “Why would he jump into hell. He will not come to Pakistan and seek political asylum in the USA in case the commission issued his arrest warrants or gave an adverse finding,” adding that “it is as simple as that”. The sources said Haqqani would first try to record his statement from London and if allowed by the SC, he would feel no immediate problem. However, in case the memo commission issued arrest warrants to bring Haqqani back to Pakistan to attend the proceedings following the rejection of his request from the SC, Haqqani would prefer to stay in the US and apply for asylum.
The SC had allowed Haqqani to leave the country after he submitted an affidavit with the apex court that he would be available before the commission on a four-day notice. On the previous hearing, the commission rejected his application for recording his statement from London and directed him to appear before it on March 26 in Islamabad, but he did not come to Pakistan citing security concerns. Asked if Haqqani is anticipating an adverse decision from the memo commission, a close aide of Haqqani briefly replied, “The mood and attitude of the commission is very clear.” Haqqani has so far not surrendered his two Blackberry phone sets to the commission, saying they went missing when he left Washington in a hurry, nor did he disclose the PIN of the sets.
He has admitted some “undeniable” facts before the commission as his phone calls to and from Mansoor Ijaz – authenticated by the call log provided by Mansoor Ijaz – but denied the contents of the conversation that allegedly took place between the two characters of the memo controversy.
Haqqani has now declined to come to Pakistan, saying he felt threatened in Pakistan at the hands of security agencies connected with Ijaz. A 19-member bench of the Supreme Court will hear the petition filed by Husain Haqqani today (Thursday) seeking to record his statement via video link from London. The memo commission would take a course of action in the light of the decision of the apex court.
Haqqani may seek political asylum in US
