Pakistan’s former Ambassador Husain Haqqani waits for his passport

WASHINGTON: The Pakistan Embassy, Washington,had decided not to issue a passport to Husain Haqqani Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States for his alleged anti-Pakistan views.

Haqqani said he has applied for an urgent passport on June 8, which should have been issued in two to four weeks “but almost 11 weeks have passed and I am still waiting for a decision”.

He said.“In the electronic filing system, the computer refuses to accept an application if it has any objection but in my case, the computer showed no objection, no issue.”

“So I do not understand this delay. Is it bureaucratic incompetence or a political decision?” he asked.

The official said.”The embassy only forwards applications to Islamabad. All decisions are made there.”

The embassy official said he had no reason to believe that the government did not want to issue a passport to Mr Haqqani. “The application has been received and a passport will be issued when the process completes.”

Mr Haqqani said he was a Pakistani citizen and no law allowed the government to withhold the passport of a citizen because he disagreed with the government or with national policies.

He said. “ I only has one citizenship, that of Pakistan. My name is not on the exit control list either and my papers are complete. I should be issued a passport as soon as possible, as I have only one passport.”

Mr Haqqani explained that the Judicial Commission that investigated the so-called Memo­gate scandal has observed that he was neither an accused nor did he face a formal trial. “So there’s no judicial ground for denying me a passport either,” he said.

In 2012 Memo­gate scandal Mr Haqqani was accused of inviting a retired US general to interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs, But he denies the charges.