Thaindian News

Islamabad, Jan 23 (IANS) Farahnaz Ispahani, President Asif Ali Zardari’s media adviser and wife of former envoy to US Husain Haqqani, Monday rejected a media report that she has fled the country.

Ispahani shot down the report attributed to her that said she had fled to Washington fearing abduction by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

She added that she respected the ISI and the army, Geo News reported.

“I came here (Washington) to meet my children and going home soon,” she was quoted as saying.

Christina Lamb had written in the 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 protect itself,” she added.

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 by US Marines in his hideout in Abbottbad near islamabad May 2 last year. The memo was forwarded by Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz.

Husain Haqqani stepped down as the envoy to US and former minister Sherry Rehman was appointed in his place.