In a surprise choice, the Pakistan government announced Wednesday that controversial PPP politician Sherry Rehman would replace Hussain Haqqani as its ambassador in Washington.
Ms Rehman, onetime aide to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and a former information minister, was forced to leave the government several months ago after differences with the leadership. She had of late improved relations with President Asif Ali Zardari and there was talk of her reinduction into the Cabinet. She had been targeted by fundamentalists over her opposition to Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws.
It is learnt that Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had forced the civilian government to remove Mr Haqqani for his role in the alleged letter sent to the US authorities seeking help to avert a military coup.