Haqqani counting on friends while awaiting key inquiries

Islamabad: With a handful of news stories and op-ed articles held firmly in his hand, Pakistan's recently resigned ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, is counting on good luck and friends to counter the diplomatic and political storm he and his political leadership is engulfed in these days.

Haqqani looks sharp, blunt, but not as confident as he used to be as he sits with uneasy calm at the fourth floor of most-guarded place in the Pakistani capital — President House.

This is the part of the official residence of President Asif Ali Zardari, who lives upstairs in the same compound. Just one block away is Parliament House and the Supreme Court, both preparing to undertake separate inquiries against the man who has been Pakistan's top diplomat in Washington for the last three years.

Haqqani agrees to this correspondent that the memo scandal unleashed against him is politically motivated.

Exhaustive meetings

He would also gesture in the affirmative when asked whether this scandal aims at "weakening" the country's president, but won't utter any words, fearing the room might be bugged by the same officials who are keeping an eye on him.

Here, at least, he is hard to get, physically. A few days back, immediately after his return to homeland, he had to face hard and pointed questions of top generals and political leadership in back-to-back exhaustive meetings that led to his resignation. With parallel parliamentary and judicial inquiries a few days away, Haqqani's presence as a permanent guest at the presidential palace amply reflects the importance of the man for the ruling Pakistan People's Party government led by Zardari.

This is the place from where Haqqani launches his firm defence, talks to his journalist friends across Pakistan and the world, gives live and recorded audio beepers to local and foreign televisions. In short, he is counting on friends while facing the foes in this merciless power game being fought in Pakistani capital.

Haqqani has a point to make when he recounts the track record and financial dealings of his accuser who lives in Monaco. "[US-based businessman] Mansour [Ejaz] has got no credibility whatsoever.

Confident

"He has been accusing Pakistan's military and agencies for long. How come his words have suddenly become reliable for many a media persons and officials in Pakistan," the former diplomat questions as he recounts his ordeal during the last few days.

But the journalist-turned-diplomat is confident he will sail through the storm.

"Around six months ago, I had conveyed to the political leadership that I want to leave this diplomatic assignment," he recalls. "I was better off with my lectures at American universities and think tanks where I could earn $40,000 [Dh146,800] per lecture," he says.

The former diplomat is accused by a friend-turned-foe, Pakistani American businessman Ejaz, of conspiring against the Pakistan military at the behest of the country's president through a secret memo written to the then top American army general through an intermediary back in May this year.

‘Eyes and ears'

American officials lately admitted the existence of the memo, but Haqqani vehemently denies it was dictated by him to Ejaz who claims to have been a go-between the ambassador and the American officials.

Ruling PPP circles believe the man has been "eyes and ears" as well as "most trusted" friend of Zardari throughout the three years of his diplomatic assignment in Washington.

But the same person was somehow seen with suspicion by the country's generals, partly because of his track record and political affiliation, but mostly his shrewdness and contacts with American administration and Congressmen.

Some would say he was over-qualified for a diplomatic job, others close to the country's establishment would argue Haqqani is simply not "their man".

Haqqani was asked to resign by the Pakistani prime minister following a controversy that has engulfed the country's political scene for the last many days, and has potential to destabilise the ruling PPP coalition government. It all started as Ejaz blamed Haqqani for being the brain behind a secret "memo".