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The rulers are our cousins:
Jordanian envoy
Dr. Jassim Taqui
Deputy Editor (IR)
We feel pleased for the new political dispensation. Everyone here is
our friend. I can also say that the rulers are our cousins since
many of them are Ashraaf ( descendent of the holy prophet Mohammad
PBUH),” stated the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Dr.
Saleh Ahmad Al- Jawarneh in an exclusive interview with Pakistan
Observer. Jawarneh was referring to the large number of Sayeds in
the ruling coalition Government and the fact that the ruling family
of Jordan is the descendant of the holy prophet PBUH.
Jawarneh also highlighted the recent visit of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff Committee Chairman, Gen. Tariq Majeed to Jordan and said that
the visit would further cement the already excellent bilateral
relations between the two countries.
Earlier Jawarneh introduced the Ambassador at large Professor Husain
Haqqani to the Arab ambassadors in an informal gathering at his
residence. “ Haqqani was my close friend since I was a student at
Karachi University in early eighties, where I obtained my master
degree in political science while Haqqani was studying International
Relations. Since then we remain very close friends,” stated Jawarneh
while introducing Haqqani to the Arab Ambassadors.
Haqqani is an important personality. He had maintained a close
relationship with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and acted as
her advisor. He also worked as advisor to former Prime Ministers
Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Nawaz Sharif . He was appointed as
Pakistan’s ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1992 to 1993. For the last
seven years he has been teaching International Relations at Boston
University. Haqqani was a visiting scholar in the South Asia Project
at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is well known
by his book “ Pakistan between Mosque and Military” ( Vanguard
Books-2005).
Haqqani writes a regular column, which is syndicated throughout
South Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, he contributes
regularly to international publications and appears frequently on
television news shos in both Pakistan and the United States.
Presently, Haqqani has been appointed as ambassador-at-large,
Haqqani will essentially act as a “prime minister representative to
foreign governments.” He is tipped to be the new Pak Ambassador to
the United States.
Jawarneh hoped that Haqqani would promote the just causes of Arabs
and Muslims recalling his service to the Muslim Ummah since he was a
student at Karachi University.
Haqqani looked solid, moderate and authoritative in explaining to
the Arab envoys the evolvement of the new political dispensation. He
declared that he always opposed the war lobby in the United States.
He confirmed that the coalition government is unanimous on
abandoning the use of force against the tribal people. He disclosed
that the US drones conducted 36 preemptive attacks against the
tribal areas. However only three times the Americans hit the
terrorists. He said that given the seriousness of killing innocent
people, the coalition government had decided to permit only
attacking targets on the basis of obtaining “actionable
intelligence.” However, Haqqani hastened to add that Pakistan was
committed to fighting terrorism and extremism and to continue
cooperation with the US in the fight against terror.
Commenting on the media stories, which state differences between PPP
and PML(N), Haqqani categorically denied those stories and said the
two coalition partners are committed to all articles in the Charter
of Democracy including the independence of Judiciary.
Haqqani deliberated at length the diversity of the American system
and urged Arabs and Muslims to side with the moderate US forces that
attempt to improve the image of the United States in the Arab and
Muslim worlds.
The atmosphere was congenial. Jawarneh looked after his guests very
well, showing , as usual, extra-ordinary hospitality, warmth and
kindness . You would love the company of the ever young , smiling
and optimistic Jawarneh, who also speaks fluent Urdu and loves
Pakistan. He is rightly called the Ambassador of Pakistan to Jordan.
Prominet among the guests of Mr. Jawarneh were the following Arab
ambassadors: Mr. Nadir Larbaoui( Algeria), Mr. Dafaa alla El-Haj Ali
Osman( Sudan), Mr. Hussain Haridy( Egypt), Mr. Abdul Elah Mohamed
Hajar ( Yemen), Mr. Hamad Ali Al-Hanzab( Qatar), Dr. Muhammad Riad
Hussain Ismat ( Syria), Mr. Mohamed Said Mohamed Al-Lawati( Oman),
Mr. Ibrahim Alabid Mukhtar( Libya), Mr. Aziz Al-Dehani( Kuwait),Mr.
Tariq Lodhi (IB), and Mr. Zafar Bakhtarwi( PML(Q).
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