Daily Times

KARACHI: Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against former ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani on charges of causing harm to the country’s national security.

The FIR was registered in Karachi’s Preedy police station on a complaint filed by Advocate Maulvi Iqbal Haider. The complaint alleged that the former envoy had made anti-state remarks during recent interviews with television channels in the US.

The complainant held that Haqqani’s statements undermined national security and challenged the country’s sovereignty. “Haqqani deliberately issued venomous remarks on Pakistan, its forces and the Kashmir cause,” read the FIR.

Speaking to Daily Times, Molvi Haider said that he had approached the police on March 7, however, the police did not immediately register the case. “I was in the high court when I heard Haqqani’s remarks. Being a Pakistani citizen, I decided to register a case against him,” he said, “I have provided the police with evidence as the police initially refused to register the case.”

In February, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was considering registering a case against Haqqani. Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana had submitted before a Supreme Court three-judge bench that the agency was considering to file an FIR against Haqqani.

In addition, the FIA had written to the Interpol requesting the issuance of red warrants but the agency raised its concerns over the political nature of allegations against the former ambassador, which was beyond its mandate.

Haqqani was implicated in the Memogate scandal accusing him writing a memo to Admiral Mike Mullen, through Mansoor Ijaz. The memo had offered greater government cooperation in return for US backing of the civilian government against the powerful military in the immediate aftermath of the May 2 raid which led to the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden.

Published in Daily Times, March 22^nd 2018.