Hussain Haqqani breaks silence on Imran Khan’s allegations

• Haqqani says he is neither a lobbyist nor he has received any payment in this regard.
• Says Imran Khan should accept no-trust move against him. 
• Zalmay Khalilzad is not valued in America like he used to be, he adds. 

Former Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani excoriated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for calling him a lobbyist and providing his services to former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Earlier in January, the former prime minister accused Gen (retd) Bajwa of hiring the services of Haqqani for lobbying in the US. He also said Haqqani launched a campaign against him and had been promoting the former army chief in the US.

"It is stupid to say that I ended his [Imran Khan] government with someone. I am neither a lobbyist nor have I received any payment in this regard. I have good relations with people in the US," said the former ambassador while speaking during the Geo News programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath". 

He further said that Robert Grenier is not a lobbyist either and is a government official who used to update his research. 

"The US does not need me to form Imran Khan's image. My research is related to the politics in Pakistan," said Haqqani while asking the PTI chief to speak the truth. 

Haqqani said that Khan even called him a traitor because of his stance, adding that the former premier was removed from power through the votes of 174 members of the assembly and that he has "nothing to do with any of these MNAs". 

The former ambassador said that a lot of people contact think tanks in the US for research. He added that the role of lobbies, journalist and scholar is different. 

Haqqani said that Khan created his anti-American image in the last 26 years. "I did not stand on a container and abused anyone, later asking for forgiveness," he added. 

The former envoy to Washington further said that Gen (retd) Bajwa and his organisation convinced the nation for many years that his opinion is "anti-Pakistan". 

Haqqani said that he will continue to meet US diplomat Donald Lu, questioning how does this prove that he was involved in a conspiracy. 

"You [Khan] should accept the vote of no-confidence, why are you dragging me into it?" said the former envoy. "I haven't been to Pakistan for 11 years and if someone came to meet me then they should be questioned."

The ex-ambassador said that his work is not related to lobbying against someone or for someone. He said that it was Imran Khan who said that "I said Bajwa is a good man." 

"I had said that Gen Bajwa's statement regarding Russia was in the interest of Pakistan," he noted. 

Speaking about former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, Haqqani said that he is not valued in America like he used to be and he is only trying to make his place now. 

"If the US has any interest in Pakistan then it would not be with an individual," he added.