Zardari’s media advisor says she fears abduction
January 23rd, 2012 - 12:16 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, Jan 23 (IANS) Farahnaz Ispahani, President Asif Ali Zardari’s media adviser and wife of former envoy to US Husain Haqqani, claims that she has fled the country as she feared being kidnapped by the ISI.
Ispahani, who has fled to Washington, said she was afraid that she would be abducted to force her husband to confess and implicate Zardari in the memogate issue, Geo News reported from London.
Pakistan witnessed considerable tension after it emerged that a secret memo was sent to Washington that said Zardari feared a military take over following the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden May 2 last year. The memo was forwarded by Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz.
Ispahani spoke to Christina Lamb who wrote in Sunday Times that the memogate scandal involving Haqqani was “trumped up”.
The article said that Haqqani’s life was in danger and Ispahani has fled to Washington over fears that “ISI might kidnap her to force her husband to sign a confession and implicate the president”.
“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 was quoted as telling The Sunday Times.
“I’m scared, even the government can’t even protect itself,” she added.
- I have not fled from Pakistan: Zardari's media advisor (Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Court allows Haqqani to travel abroad - Jan 30, 2012
- Haqqani flies out of Pakistan - Jan 31, 2012
- Haqqani ready to face memo probe, mulls legal action - Nov 21, 2011
- Memo issue will grow bigger and bigger, says Pakistani daily - Nov 25, 2011
- Pakistan parliamentary panel to summon ISI chief in memo case - Dec 31, 2011
- Memo scandal: Court dismisses plea against Mansoor Ijaz - Jan 18, 2012
- Provide security to Mansoor Ijaz: Pakistan judicial panel - Jan 24, 2012
- BlackBerry phones of Haqqani, Ijaz to be tested - May 10, 2012
- Threat call for Mansoor Ijaz's daughter - Mar 14, 2012
- Haqqani did write memo to US, says probe panel - Jun 12, 2012
- Zardari instucted Haqqani on memo: Ijaz - Feb 23, 2012
- Sack ISI chief, says petition in Pakistan court - Dec 20, 2011
- Haqqani discusses secret memo with Zardari - Nov 20, 2011
- Ijaz sticks to his coup claim in testimony from London (Lead) - Feb 22, 2012
Tags: abducted, abduction, al qaeda, ali, american businessman, christina lamb, confession, geo news, institutionalisation, isi, media adviser, memogate scandal, osama bin laden, pakistan, s media, secret memo, sunday times, tension, tolerance, zardari