Haqqani's views vindicate stance of national institutions: ISPR

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GEO NEWS
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RAWALPINDI: Former Pakistan ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani's views published in a US newspaper have vindicated the stance of Pakistan's state institutions, Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said Wednesday. 

The statement from the army's media wing comes days after Haqqani admitted that he had facilitated the presence of large number of CIA operatives in Pakistan to track down Osama bin Laden.

The former Pakistan People's Party leader said he had acted with the authorisation of the elected "civilian leaders", referring to then-president Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Read: Haqqani says gave visas to Americans as per law

"Views of Hussain Haqqani published in a mainstream US newspaper especially his account on issuance of visas vindicate stance of Pakistan's state institutions," said the DG ISPR, in a tweet on Wednesday.

"The veracity of concerns about his role in the entire issue also stands confirmed," Gen Ghafoor added.

On Tuesday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a press conference that the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz led government had revoked the notification empowering an ambassador to issue visas to foreigners in 2014.

Nisar's clarification followed the emergence of a 2010 letter from Gilani's office, which raised further questions for the PPP over Haqqani's controversial powers of granting visas to US officials as Pakistan's ambassador to the country.

Read: Letter did not authorise visa issuance for US forces involved in Abbottabad raid, says Gilani

"The Ambassador in Washington is empowered to issue visas valid up to one year without the Embassy having to refer each such aforementioned visa application to the concerned authorities in Pakistan," read the letter, dated July 14, 2010.

Gilani, however, contended that his government followed rules and procedures in visa issuance. “I gave the letter to Hussain Haqqani through proper procedure and not by hand. The letter went the relevant ministries through rules of business,” said the former prime minister.

He said that visas were supposed to be given to those recommended by the State Department of the US, which had to explain the reason for visa issuance.

“The letter absolutely does not authorise visa issuance to US special forces which took part in the Abbottabad raid,” said Gilani.

In his article in the Washington Post, Haqqani claimed US officials were able to ask "for help in stationing US Special Operations and intelligence personnel on the ground in Pakistan", a favour to Washington that apparently led to the May 2, 2011 US Naval Seals special operation on a compound in Abbottabad to kill Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. 

The Pakistani government claimed it had not been consulted over the raid, and called it a violation of the country's sovereignty.

Haqqani's claims have caused an uproar in Pakistan, with even some fellows from his former party  rebuffing them and painting him as a traitor.

"This man [Haqqani] is not worthy of being debated on in Parliament. He is seeking to gain the attention of the US administration by issuing such statements," said Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah, who represents the same party that Haqqani was formerly affiliated with.

In 2011, the former ambassador was embroiled in another controversy when Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz claimed to have received a message from Haqqani to deliver a confidential memo to then US Admiral Mike Mullen.

The controversial memo had allegedly sought Washington's 'help' for the PPP government in the aftermath of the Abbottabad raid. Haqqani eventually stepped down as ambassador following the 'memogate' scandal and he has since been residing in the US.