HSPI Hosts Ambassadors Roundtable Series Event Featuring
Pakistani Ambassador Husain Haqqani



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As part of the Ambassadors Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies, the Homeland Security Policy Institute hosted Ambassador Husain Haqqani of Pakistan on February 6, 2009.

Ambassador Haqqani began his remarks by acknowledging that when terrorism is discussed, Pakistan is often cited as both part of the problem and part of the solution.

In addressing Pakistan’s role as part of the problem, Haqqani reviewed how past events left Pakistan feeling threatened and weak. Of particular importance to the ambassador; Pakistan’s colonial history, the 1971 partitioning of East Pakistan in to Bangladesh, its troubled relationship with India, and the aftermath of “Charlie Wilson’s War” (which left thousands of Afghan refugees within and along Pakistan’s border). For Haqqani, these were the events that strained his country’s civil-military relations, left it myopically focused on threats from India, and stunted economic development. Furthermore, Haqqani posited that from this sense of weakness the Pakistani government developed a perceived need to leverage Islamic elements as a means for enhancing national security. “Insecurity plays a role in the willingness to tolerate extremism,” he added. The net effect of these events was an in ability to recognize and address the growing threat posed by regional insurgent movements such as the Taliban.

Ambassador Haqqani expressed optimism with regard to Pakistan’s role as part of the solution. Haqqani highlighted the return of civilian rule, the subsequent removal of Pervez Musharraf, and the electoral victories of “Bhutto’s Party” (The Pakistan Peoples Party) as demonstrative of the fact that Pakistani society is undergoing a conceptual shift. He stated that these events represent the first time both the prime minister and president are part of a major political party; and Pakistan’s first peaceful removal of military rule. Haqqani explained that Pakistan’s elected government and an increasing number of Pakistanis now view terrorism, rather than India, as the greatest threat to national security. He illustrated this point by noting that the Pakistani army has done more in the last seven months to fight terrorism than it did in the preceding seven years. The ambassador went on to say that in the past, extremists were viewed as having a cause; today those same extremists are being seen and labeled as terrorists. Referencing Mao, he argued that this conceptual shift was vital; for the “most important thing in insurgency, is to make sure that insurgents do not swim in friendly waters.”

Despite these improvements, Haqqani struck a cautious tone when discussing Pakistani cooperation with the United States. Given the nature of insurgencies, he warned Washington to be careful and not offend the sensitivity of the Pakistani people. He charged America with a “tendency toward highhandedness.” Haqqani argued that Congress subjects Pakistan to differential treatment and that it delays relief funding for Pakistan. His comments represent a partial response to suggestions by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that US aid to Pakistan be conditional.

HSPI Director Frank Cilluffo opened the roundtable discussion by posing questions regarding potential ties between Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and al Qaeda (the group believed responsible for last November’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai), the release of AQ Khan, and Islamabad’s efforts to increase Pakistani perceptions that terrorism does indeed pose a grave threat to Pakistan.

In reference to LeT, the ambassador acknowledged that several groups viewed as local by Pakistan have developed relations with global jihadi networks. Without getting into specifics, which the ambassador declined to do, he stated that; “to the extent that any group has linkages, those linkages are being worked upon” by the current Pakistani government.

In response to Cilluffo’s question regarding Khan, Ambassador Haqqani stated “I do not see any reason for people to worry about any further proliferation outside of Pakistan. Pakistan’s nuclear materials are under safeguards which, without going into excessive detail, I would say are more or less acceptable to those in the international community who deal with proliferation. So I think that is not something one should worry about. Pakistan’s nuclear materials are not toys lying around, that somebody from the neighborhood is going to just pick up from the yard and run away. They are safe and the safeguards are in place.”

Regarding general perceptions of terrorism, Haqqani argued that if one focuses on the terrorists’ actions rather than their ideology any ambiguity concerning how governments ought to react goes away. As an example, Haqqani offered the fact that Pakistan’s parliament has approved a unanimous resolution “talking about, with absolute clarity, about terrorism being a threat to Pakistan . . . talking about the terrorist as a threat to the Pakistani people.”

As the discussion progressed, several attendees inquired about Taliban based insurgent activities in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Swat Valley. In responding, Haqqani said that Pakistan’s long term goal was to fully integrate FATA into Pakistan. To accomplish this, he noted that the region would need to be transformed by creating an economy other than that provided by militancy, that schools need to be set up, and that the tribes must retain their special status. But, argued Haqqani, security would have to be provided first. Regarding the Swat Valley, the ambassador stated that the situation was not the product of deliberate neglect, but rather the result of poor decisions by local leaders. He went on to say that the situation in Swat was being dealt with both militarily and politically.

Other attendees posed questions about the Taliban and the need for regional cooperation. Ambassador Haqqani made the case for an integrated approach to the insurgency. Haqqani challenged the US not to label problems as belonging to one nation or another, but to recognize their regional dynamic. He was pleased with the appointment of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as special envoy and commented that he was confident Holbrooke would bring necessary attention and looked forward to working with him. Regarding the Taliban, Haqqani stated that this insurgency is not a monolithic movement – an important distinction he felt should be recognized and agreed upon by the allies. He indicated that some Taliban groups could be reconciled to the coalition’s cause; other Taliban, more closely aligned with al Qaeda, could not.

Throughout the discussion, Haqqani stressed the need for comprehensive engagement and the use of America’s soft power. Because rhetoric in the West has fueled rhetoric in the Islamic world, the ambassador argued that comprehensive engagement was needed not just at the leadership level, but the societal level as well. He noted that for many Pakistanis, their image of the US is shaped by American missile strikes. Haqqani contends that what is needed is greater public diplomacy and greater socio-economic aid – with assurances that the benefits of aid reach the people themselves. To illustrate his point, Haqqani recalled that as a child he spent time reading in the American library. In his words, prior uses of American soft power had created a generation of people “in love with America.”

The Ambassadors Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policy makers, and practitioners.