ISLAMABAD: The Spokesperson to former President Asif Zardari, Farhatullah Babar, on Friday denied media reports that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership allowed Husain Haqqani to issue visas to US citizens without due process and bypassing relevant authorities.
The PPP was criticised after the former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani claimed in a Washington Post column that he helped American forces trace Osama Bin Laden and that the civilian leadership was aware of all the related developments.
Explaining party position after a letter leaked to the media suggested that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in 2010 had empowered the envoy to directly issue visas to Americans without the approval of concerned officials. There was “nothing new or wrong” in the letter sent to the Embassy in Washington, he asserted.
“Its [the official letter’s] regurgitation at this time is politically motivated and aimed at diverting attention from the real issue,” Babar said.