Pakistan's ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani was on Tuesday forced out of office over his suspected role in a secret memo seeking American help to prevent a possible coup in Pakistan, which had angered the powerful army.
Summoned home three days back, Haqqani was asked by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to quit when the envoy met the country's top civilian and military leadership to explain his position on what the media is describing as the ‘Memogate’ controversy.
The ouster of Haqqani, 55, considered close to President Asif Ali Zardari indicated that in the tussle between the civilian government and the armed forces over the confidential memorandum, it is the latter that prevailed.
The meeting was attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani and Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha. Gilani directed authorities to conduct a ‘detailed investigation at an appropriate level’ and asked Haqqani to ‘submit his resignation so that the investigation can be carried out properly’, said a spokesman for the Prime Minister's House.
State-run PTV reported that Gilani sought Haqqani's resignation so that a ‘transparent inquiry’ could be conducted into the memo issue. The envoy's resignation had been accepted, it said. Haqqani too announced his resignation in two messages posted on Twitter.