Pakistani leader admits his wife, kids are US citizens
September 14th, 2011 - 2:50 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, Sep 14 (IANS) Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, has following a WikiLeaks expose admitted that his wife and children are US citizens.
Khan, who is from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, is otherwise perceived in political circles as somebody who is opposed to the American policies in the region, said the daily Dawn.
A secret cable dated Sep 19, 2008, by then US Ambassador in Islamabad Anne W. Patterson to Washington stated: “As always, Nisar insisted that he and the PML-N were pro-American (saying that his wife and children, in fact, are Americans).”
“Nisar did admit that he went to the US embassy in London to renew his daughter’s passport because he wanted to avoid being seen at the US embassy in Islamabad.”
The cable also said that “Nisar appears to be positioning himself to be a candidate for prime minister…”
Khan Tuesday said that his wife was holding dual nationality when they got married in the late 1980s and his in-laws were settled in the US since 1970s.
He denied that he ever visited the US embassy in London in connection with the renewal of his daughter’s passport.
Khan said he was feeling pained over discussing his family matters before the media.
“I am a person who wants to live a private life,” he was quoted as saying.
The ties between the US and Pakistan became strained after a US undercover agent, Raymond Davis, fatally shot two Pakistanis in Lahore in February.
The rift deepened after the May 2 killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his Abbottabad hideout by US commandos in a sneak raid.
- 'PML-N a "pro-American" party', Nawaz, Nisar told US envoy: WikiLeaks - Dec 01, 2010
- US national kidnapped in Pakistan (Lead) - Aug 13, 2011
- FBI may look for American abducted in Pakistan - Aug 16, 2011
- Zardari prepared for assassination, named his successor - Dec 01, 2010
- Cablegate highlights America's deep role in Pak's power politics - Dec 02, 2010
- Abducted American rescued in Pakistan (Lead) - Aug 25, 2011
- Diplomatic Cables reveal US troops' role in Pakistan - May 21, 2011
- Davis holds diplomatic passport, says Malik - Feb 02, 2011
- PML-N refutes Zardari's claim of Shahbaz tipping off JUD prior to asset freeze order - Dec 02, 2010
- US begins probe into American's abduction in Pakistan - Aug 18, 2011
- American's abduction: Suspects' sketches being prepared - Aug 17, 2011
- ISI chief conspired against Zardari: WikiLeaks - Dec 04, 2010
- Pak fully aware of held American's CIA antecedents - Feb 22, 2011
- US national's kidnapper's sketch released - Aug 19, 2011
- I conferred with ISI on Kasab's Pakistani identity: Sacked official - Sep 17, 2011
Tags: ali khan, american policies, dual nationality, embassy in london, family matters, leader of opposition, nisar, pakistan muslim league, pakistan muslim league nawaz, pakistanis, pml n, political circles, private life, qaeda leader, raymond davis, secret cable, undercover agent, us embassy in islamabad, us embassy in london, wikileaks