Pakistani PM Accepts Ambassador Haqqani’s Resignation

Gilani Says Resignation First Step Toward 'High-Level Inquiry'

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani has announced today that he has accepted the resignation of Ambassador Husain Haqqani, ending his tenure as Ambassador to the United States.

And while Haqqani initially offered the resignation late last week with the assumption that it would end the scandal over the “coup memo” he allegedly dictated on behalf of President Zardari, Gilani has insisted it will not, as says Haqqani’s resignation is just the first step toward a high-level inquiry into it.

The “memo” was given to Admiral Michael Mullen in the wake of the assassination of Osama bin Laden, and urged Mullen to use the US military in a move against the Pakistani military’s leadership. In return it promised Zardari would replace the removed leaders with more pro-US figures.

Zardari has denied any involvement in the memo, as did Haqqani, even though the courier later said Haqqani actually dictated the memo directly to him. The Pentagon maintains that it never took the memo seriously.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.