ISLAMABAD – The government has called back Ambassador to the United States Hussain Haqqani for consultations, sources said on Sunday.

According to informed sources, Hussain Haqqani has been called back on the directives of Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. Sources said that the Prime Minister had assured the joint sitting of the parliament during the in-camera briefing that the ambassador would be called back to appear before National Assembly and Senate standing committees on foreign affairs and defence. Sources said that Haqqani has been called for questioning over many unscrupulous visas he had allegedly issued to US nationals.

“He will be asked to furnish names and addresses of all those US nationals whom he had allegedly issued Pakistani visas without security clearance,“ sources said, adding that soon after his arrival, he called on Secretary Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir. However there was no official confirmation till filing of this report. Sources pointed out that before reaching Pakistan, Haqqani has a London stopover for meetings with Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hassan and MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

Meanwhile, Permanent Under Secretary of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Simon Fraser met Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir here on Sunday and had an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral, regional and global issues.
The Foreign Secretary expressed satisfaction on the ongoing consultations between Pakistan and the UK and the elevation of the bilateral discussions to enhance strategic dialogue.

The situation arising from the Abbottabad raid and the process leading to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, were also discussed.

Under Secretary Simon Fraser on the request of the Foreign Secretary, will deliver a talk on the subject of re-engineering of British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the concept of diplomatic excellence.