Missing the point
Of the many questions that should be answered in the wake of Hussain Haqqani’s latest controversy, an important one must be probing just what possessed him to come out with this information, however true or otherwise, at this particular point in time. Whatever memogate cost him – the ambassadorship, party membership, even privilege to live at home – some would say he still got off pretty lightly considering just who his alleged doings had rubbed the wrong way. What, then, would motivate a repeat performance on steroids? There’s little quantifiable, on the surface, that he would stand to gain by flirting with treason. Could it be then, like so many are saying, that there’s likely some sting-pulling behind the scenes? Only one way to know, of course.
And while we are on the matter of investigating this particular incident, what to do of all this noise about the Abbottabad Commission Report? Those, always quick on the draw, now baying for Haqqani’s blood in the House must first tell what they can do about making the Commission’s findings public. Even PPP, so visibly distancing itself from the man and seconding calls for the inquiry, can just as easily take the right course and demand some movement on Abbottabad, especially since the untreated wound has opened again.
Whatever course it takes, things seem destined to get worse before they get any better for PPP. The Haqqani affair throws the monkey wrench in the works as the party’s turn-around is already far, far behind schedule and not nearly anything to write home about. Now they must answer to charges bordering on treason. The only way to salvage something from this unfortunate episode is ensuring the investigation is transparent and, for once, it is made public and lessons are learnt. It will only be worth it, in other words, if it completely breaks from precedent.
