Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said Pakistan's former US ambassador Hussain Haqqani did not have the authority to issue visas to Americans, nor did he ever say anything of the sort.

Zardari, speaking on Geo News show Capital Talk, said, "Even Haqqani has denied [that he authorised visas]. He himself says he is being misread."

"There are many people in the embassy other than the envoy who scramble visas if they are important."

However, the former president said that he does not agree with Haqqani, claiming that the former envoy believes himself to be an "intellectual" and a "philosopher of Washington".

"Our views on things differ vastly," Zardari said.

"I do not agree with [Haqqani's] book either because he has spoken against Pakistan in it," the former president added.

When asked whether the PPP would concede appointing Haqqani was a "wrong decision", Zardari said, "The time when I was president, Musharraf was here. So I called [Mahmud Ali] Durrani back and sent Haqqani there. He did what I needed him to do at that time."

"It was the decision of the parliament at the time. It was the decision of the establishment at the time," said Zardari when asked why the PPP government never made the Abbotabad Commission report public.

"It was not in the interest of the country to make the report public," he further said, adding if the current government deems it favourable, it should move forward with publishing the report.

When the host asked about the report being leaked, the former president conceded and said that those who prepare the reports are "after all, humans".

Opinion

Editorial

Return to the helm
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

With Nawaz Sharif as PML-N president, will we see more grievances being aired?
Unvaxxed & vulnerable
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Unvaxxed & vulnerable

Even deadly mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria have vaccines, but they are virtually unheard of in Pakistan.
Gaza’s hell
Updated 28 Apr, 2024

Gaza’s hell

Perhaps Western ‘statesmen’ may moderate their policies if a significant percentage of voters punish them at the ballot box.
Missing links
Updated 27 Apr, 2024

Missing links

As the past decades have shown, the country has not been made more secure by ‘disappearing’ people suspected of wrongdoing.
Freedom to report?
27 Apr, 2024

Freedom to report?

AN accountability court has barred former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife from criticising the establishment...
After Bismah
27 Apr, 2024

After Bismah

BISMAH Maroof’s contribution to Pakistan cricket extends beyond the field. The 32-year old, Pakistan’s...