'Haqqani asked Pak not to block IAEA's India deal': Pakistan's former UN Ambassador

An ex-Pakistani diplomat has accused the former US ambassador of sabotaging the country's efforts to block an India-specific safeguards agreement at the IAEA in 2008.

Pakistan's former UN Ambassador Zameer Akram has alleged that Husaain Haqqani had ‘leveraged pressure’ on Pakistan to overrule the Foreign Office's recommendations for opposing the India agreement.

"The Foreign Office was pressured to change its recommendations," Dawn quoted Akram. Akram says Pakistan even garnered Chinese support for the same.

The pressure apparently worked and Pakistan agreed to not call for a vote or block passage of the India safeguards agreement in the August 1, 2008, IAEA board of governors' meeting.

Haqqani, who is currently with the Hudson Institute - a top American think-tank - has denied the charges.

"I wish I had as much influence," Haqqani told PTI.

"Then, Pakistan and all its neighbours would be better off with less conflict. As things stand, I was only Pakistan's ambassador to the US and our ambassador to the US cannot single-handedly shape policy," Haqqani said.

"It is clear that some people do not want a discussion on foreign policy in Pakistan or on what is and is not realistic. They just want to find scapegoats and I am a convenient one. In my opinion Pakistan should focus more on what it can get for its people and less on what we can block for someone else," he said.

Image credit: Indiatimes