Hussain Haqqani to sue Imran Khan for defamation

Former Pakistan ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani, while rubbishing allegations levelled against him by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, said Tuesday that he is seeking the assistance of his lawyers for legal action against the former prime minister.

On Sunday, the ousted prime minister while speaking to journalists in Lahore, alleged that Haqqani had been tasked by Gen (retd) Bajwa to lobby in the US.

Khan also said that the former diplomat launched a campaign against him and had been promoting the former army chief in the US.

Bajwa’s "setup is still working in the establishment", he claimed.

In response to Khan's serious allegations, Haqqani said that the PTI chief does not get tired of blaming a person who has not held any position of power for 11 years. He said that the former premier continues to invoke his name in matters which do not concern him.

"I have asked my lawyers to take action," tweeted the former envoy when asked about legal proceedings.

Sources close to the former ambassador told Geo News that Haqqani hasn't been associated with Pakistani politics for years. They said that the lobbying firm in the US hired Haqqani for research.

"Husain Haqqani is not answerable for his research work," added the sources.

The sources further said that Haqqani has never been interested in working with the PTI.

He has written four books and hundreds of articles and will continue to write, they added.

Haqqani made headlines in 2011 and was sacked after the memogate scandal. He was accused of seeking US action against Pakistan’s military through the so-called memo months after the US raid in Abbottabad in 2011 on Osama Bin Laden’s compound amid an increasing rift between the civilian and military leadership.

He was also accused of issuing visas to Americans without due process, bypassing relevant authorities, and embezzling funds.

The Supreme Court dismissed the Memogate case in February 2019, with then-Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa asking, “Are the state of Pakistan, armed forces and our Constitution so weak that they can be frightened by a memo?"

Other allegations against Haqqani were never taken to court or ever proved and have been consistently described by him as "politically motivated".