Pakistan’s Ambassador to United States Husain Haqqani steps down; Former minister Sherry Rahman appointed new Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US; 28 Pakistan troops killed in a air strike launched by NATO; Pakistan stops NATO supplies to Afghanistan after th
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    • In a significant development, reports noted that Pakistan Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani has stepped down after controversy over a memo began. Prime Minister Gilani had asked Haqqani to step down and also ordered a probe into the memorandum controversy. A statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister’s office on Tuesday said, “The prime minister has directed to conduct a detailed investigation at an appropriate level and in the meanwhile he asked Pakistan Ambassador to the USA Mr Husain Haqqani to submit his resignation so that the investigation can be carried out properly,”. 1

    Meanwhile, reports noted that moving quickly to fill a post left vacant after Husain Haqqani’s resignation, Pakistan appointed former minister and human rights activist Sherry Rahman as its new ambassador to the United States. Rehman is veteran member of President Asif Ali Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party and a staunch proponent of civilian rule. It would be worth noting that Rehman, a former journalist, was information minister for Zardari. She resigned in March 2009 over a crisis in which the government was refusing to reinstate judges sacked under the military regime of President Pervez Musharraf. 2

    In another major development, according to reports, 28 Pakistani troops have been killed in a NATO helicopter attack at a military checkpoint in northwest Pakistan on November 26. According to Pakistan military officials, up to 28 troops had been killed and 11 wounded in the attack on the Salala checkpoint, which is about 2.5 kilometres away from the Afghan border. The attack took place around 2 a.m. in the Baizai area of Mohmand, where Pakistani troops are fighting Taliban militants. The Pakistan’s Foreign Office has strongly condemned the attack. Taking further action, Pakistan has closed vital supply routes for NATO troops fighting in Afghanistan. It would be worth noting that the incident occurred a day after US General John Allen met Pakistani Army Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to discuss border control and enhanced cooperation. This raid is the largest and most serious incident of its kind. A similar incident on September 30, 2010, which killed two Pakistani troops, led to the closure of one of Nato’s supply routes through Pakistan for 10 days. However, NATO apologised for that incident, which it said happened when NATO gunships mistook warning shots by the Pakistani forces for a militant attack. 3

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