Opinion Memorable times
A register of reports and views from the Pakistan press
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Memorable times
Memogate took its toll with unexpected speed this week having flown down to Islamabad to explain,Husain Haqqani resigned as Pakistans ambassador to the US. After a meeting with Pakistans troika (the president,PM and army chief) and General Shuja Pasha,the director-general of the ISI,Haqqani put in his papers. The Express Tribune,in an editorial on November 22,viewed the development thus: Haqqanis shoes,however,may be difficult to fill because,if anything,he was good at his job and was reputed to have direct access to senior Congressional leaders as well as top officials in the Obama administration. He was also well-connected in the think-tank and lobbying circuit,which was certainly an asset. Daily Times,on November 23,gave some details of the meeting: The embattled envoy reportedly faced tough questions from the participants of the meeting,which culminated in the directives from the PM to hold an inquiry into the scandal. Reports said Haqqani was questioned about every aspect of the memo scandal. The questions asked were prepared by the military top brass,sources said. According to a spokesman of the PMs House,the PM directed a detailed investigation at an appropriate level while asking Haqqani to submit his resignation… However,Haqqani tweeted: I have requested PM Gilani to accept my resignation as Pakistan Ambassador to US… I have much to contribute to building a new Pakistan free of bigotry & intolerance. Will focus energies on that. (Dawn,November 22.)
Former federal minister Sherry Rehman was swiftly chosen as the new envoy to the US. A November 24 article in Daily Times said: The ruling PPP government has come up with a powerful statement,showing that it has a tight control over state affairs… The Express Tribune editorial welcomed her appointment: That she is a civilian may have laid rest to fears that the military wanted to dictate who would replace Husain Haqqani. Her appointment may well lend Pakistans future agreements with the US much-needed weight…
Talking with the enemy
Rumours were rife about a possible ceasefire between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the establishment. The Associated Press was told by a Taliban commander that the group had declared a truce with the government and talks were being considered,reported The News on November 22. No sooner had this report surfaced,a police station in the restive north-western town of Dera Ismail Khan was attacked by the Taliban. The TTP spokesman,Ehsanullah Ehsan,also refuted claims by other commanders that the group had agreed to a ceasefire and exploratory peace talks,leading to speculation that one of the countrys deadliest terror groups was splitting into factions. Dawn underlined the unreliability of these reports in its November 24 editorial: Various statements given to the media contradict each other and are hardly consistent with facts on the ground. An article in The Express Tribune,however,stated that the attacks are on,but so are the talks. The Taliban may not have declared a ceasefire…
but they are talking to the government,reports suggest,despite vehement denials from all sides.
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