Nisar was pro-US, claimed WikiLeaks; minister denied

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who is spearheading an anti-US tirade in the aftermath of Hakimullah Mehsud’s killing in an American drone attack, had assured the then US Ambassador in Islamabad, Anne W. Patterson [in 2008] that he and his party were pro-America, claimed a US embassy cable that was released by the WikiLeaks in September 2011, writes Amir Mir.


Patterson met Ch Nisar just after he had been voted as the new leader of opposition in the National Assembly. “Ch Nisar Ali Khan is at heart a nationalist, but he does recognise the need to stay in the good grace of the United States, said a clandestine US Embassy, Islamabad, cable written by Anne Patterson covering her one-on-one meeting with Ch Nisar on September 19, 2008. As always, Nisar Ali Khan insisted that he and the PML-N leadership were pro-America”.

Nisar was cagier, noting that US [drone] attacks over past few weeks hurt the hearts and minds campaign; he called for more transparency in bilateral relationship and reserved the right to criticise US actions to remain politically credible”, the cable said.

Ch Nisar, who otherwise is perceived in political circles as one who is opposed to the American policies in the region told US ambassador that former President Musharraf had been tainted in Pakistani eyes because he was seen as too pro-US, so Musharraf’s campaign against the militants was also seen as an American war.

Therefore, to turn that around, he said, Pakistanis must see the war as their fight against an insurgency. Ch Nisar Ali avoided saying that the PML-N opposed either air attacks or US ground action [inside the Pakistani territory] contrary to its reaction over the May 2011 raid in Abbottabad by a US Navy SEALs team which killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. “What he did say was that the PML-N would have to criticise the Pakistan government for allowing US action. Otherwise, said Nisar Ali Khan, the party would have no credibility with the people.”

According to the cable, Nisar said after General Musharraf’s resignation, there should have been more space for the United States and Pakistan to work together under a civilian government. “As always, Ch Nisar insisted that he and the PML-N were pro-America. Saying that his wife and children in fact are American, Nisar did admit that he went all the way to the US Embassy in London to renew his daughter’s American passport because he wanted to avoid being seen at the US Embassy in Islamabad. He said after the Eid holidays, he would share some ideas for ways to diffuse the growing anti-Americanism in Pakistan”.

As the discussion between Ch Nisar Ali Khan and Anne W Patterson was made public by the WikiLeaks, the firebrand leader of the opposition in the National Assembly had to admit for the first time on Sept 13, 2011 [at a press conference in Islamabad] that his wife and children were US nationals. Visibly disturbed by extensive media coverage of the issue, he defended his family by claiming that his wife was already holding dual nationality when he married her in late 1980s as his in-laws were settled in the US since 1970s. Nisar also criticised the Pakistani media for unnecessarily playing up the leaked cable when in fact it was his personal matter.

In her comments at the end of the cable, the US ambassador wrote:

“Nisar appears to be positioning himself to be a candidate for prime minister, if the Sharifs are disqualified in the upcoming battle with the PPP over control of the Punjab. And quite interestingly, at his Sept 13, 2011 news conference, Nisar said the contents of most of the WikiLeaks cables seemed to be true. But he added that these cables were based on the assessment and understanding of the diplomats which could be wrong. Nisar denied that he had ever visited US Embassy in London in connection with the renewal of his daughter’s passport. He said perhaps the American ambassador had misunderstood what he had stated at that time. In fact, he said, there was no need for him to visit the US Embassy for renewal of his children’s passports as, according to him, this job was performed by his wife.

The PML-N leader said he was feeling pain while discussing his family matters before the media as he always kept his family away from politics and official work. “I am a person who wants to live a private life,” he said, adding that he had been forced to come out with this explanation despite opposition by some of his party colleagues and friends because his “honesty and patriotism” were being questioned by some people through a malicious propaganda campaign using WikiLeaks.

“For me it is necessary that no one can raise finger at my self-respect and patriotism,” he said, adding that four generations of his family had worked for the country’s defence and gave blood to the motherland. “Therefore, it had become difficult for me to remain silent,” Ch Nisar told journalists.

Nisar had also rejected the allegations that he told US envoy that he and the PML-N were pro-US. He also said that some lobbies in the US government were against him and these lobbies are behind this propaganda. He said that people knew about his stand and how he discharged his duties while holding important positions.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-212548-Nisar-was-pro-US,-claimed-WikiLeaks;-minister-denied