ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has sought perpetual arrest warrants for Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, after the Supreme Court gave directions to bring him back to the country.
However, the former envoy told Arab News on Saturday he was not likely to come back to Pakistan.
“I intend to carry on my life and let FIA and the hidden hands behind it figure out how to fulfill their fantasy of forcing my return to Pakistan on false charges,” he said in response to a query.
The Supreme Court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for Haqqani and gave the authorities a 30-day deadline to present him before the court after he failed to appear in the Memogate case despite repeated summons.
The FIA’s standard procedure requires relevant documents and an arrest warrant issued by the court to get red warrants from Interpol, said a senior FIA official.
The FIA director general is heading to Interpol headquarters in Paris where he will attend a high-level conference and try to obtain the red warrants for Haqqani.
“In addition to participating in the conference as a member of Interpol, DG FIA Bashir Memon will also try to obtain red warrants for Mr. Haqqani to bring him back to the country,” said the official, adding that the DG would later travel to the US in connection with the case.
He said the DG FIA has assured the Supreme Court that a case would be registered against Haqqani in the US if he refused to return to Pakistan. Haqqani’s wife is a US national, so he could be holding American nationality as well, which may hamper his extradition, the official said.
However, Haqqani sharply responded to these developments when contacted by Arab News. “This case will go nowhere, not only because it is without basis but also because Pakistan’s politicized judiciary and law enforcement have no respect or influence left outside Pakistan and their actions are obviously politically motivated, without legal or moral grounds,” he said.
He added: “The bad faith of Pakistan’s Supreme Court and state institutions is evident from the fact that they have painted me as a traitor for six and a half years without filing charges. The Supreme Court did not even hold hearings of the so-called Memogate case for six and a half years under four different chief justices.”
FIA seeks perpetual arrest warrants for former envoy Husain Haqqani
FIA seeks perpetual arrest warrants for former envoy Husain Haqqani
Pakistan coach says dressing room hurting after India capitulation
- Ishan Kishan’s 77 powered India to 175-7 before bowlers sealed 61-run victory on Sunday
- Pakistan collapsed to 13-3 and were bowled out for 114 in T20 World Cup Group A match
COLOMBO: Head coach Mike Hesson admitted Pakistan's players were hurting in the dressing room after their crushing 61-run defeat to arch-rivals India in Colombo on Sunday.
India dominated the T20 World Cup Group A match which had been in doubt until a few days ago when the Pakistan government cleared the team to play.
India, the defending champions, posted a fighting 175-7 after they were sent in to bat on a tacky R. Premadasa stadium pitch before they routed Pakistan for 114.
"There's a pretty disappointed dressing room in there at the moment, because they know how much it means to Pakistan," said Hesson, who was in charge for his fourth defeat in a row to India following three at last year's Asia Cup.
"We know that it's a huge event, Pakistan against India. We obviously won five games on the bounce before today so we were confident, but today we got outplayed," said Hesson.
Ishan Kishan's brilliant 77 helped India recover from a first-over dismissal of explosive opener Abhishek Sharma before Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) lifted the total.
Pakistan slumped to 13-3 with India's Jasprit Bumrah removing Saim Ayub (six) and skipper Salman Agha (four) in the second over.
Usman Khan top-scored with 44 as Pakistan were bowled out in 18 overs, with 114 their third lowest total against India in all T20s.
Hesson defended the decision to bowl first at a stadium where three previous matches were won by the team batting first.
"I think the ball was spinning quite a lot initially and we started off well but I think the way Kishan played, he took the game away from us."
India's third win in as many games took them to the Super Eights stage while Pakistan now need to win their last game against Namibia on Wednesday.
The defeat further worsened Pakistan's win-loss record in World Cups against India to 1-8. They have lost all eight matches to India at the ODI World Cup.
"We have to pick ourselves up and make sure that we're very good in two or three days," said Hesson.
"We have played some good cricket in the lead-up to this World Cup so we're confident to do well in the tournament."
