Farahnaz Ispahani, wife of former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani. — File photo

KARACHI: Farahnaz Ispahani, media adviser to President Asif Ali Zardari and wife of Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States, has said that she had fled to the US for fear that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) might kidnap her and subsequently force Haqqani to sign a confession in order to implicate President Zardari in the memo scandal.

Ispahani's claims were reported in a Sunday Times article authored by Christina Lamb. The article further alleged that the Pakistani military was "steadily silencing opponents".

The article moreover stated that Haqqani's life was in danger.

"What we're seeing is the systematic killing or silencing of anyone who stands up to the institutionalisation of a militarised Islamist state, who advocates positive relations with the West or stands up for tolerance," Ispahani told The Sunday Times. "I'm scared, even the government can't even protect itself."

Opinion

Editorial

Token austerity
Updated 11 Mar, 2026

Token austerity

The ‘austerity’ measures are a ritualistic response to public anger rather than a sincere attempt to reform state spending.
Lebanon on fire
11 Mar, 2026

Lebanon on fire

WHILE the entire Gulf region has become an active warzone, repercussions of this conflict have spread to the...
Canine crisis
11 Mar, 2026

Canine crisis

KARACHI’S stray dog crisis requires urgent attention. Feral canines can cause serious and lasting physical and...
Iran’s new leader
Updated 10 Mar, 2026

Iran’s new leader

The position is the most powerful in Iran, bringing together clerical authority and political and ideological leadership.
National priorities
10 Mar, 2026

National priorities

EVEN as the country faces heightened risks of attacks from actual terrorists, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi...
Silenced march
10 Mar, 2026

Silenced march

ON the eve of International Women’s Day, Islamabad Police detained dozens of Aurat March activists who had ...