US 'gratified' over lifting of Haqqani's travel curbs

Washington, Jan 31 (ANI): The United States has expressed its 'gratification' at the Pakistan government's decision of lifting the travel curbs imposed on Islamabad's former ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani, following the Memo Gate controversy.

"We are gratified that the government of Pakistan has lifted the travel ban on ambassador Haqqani-specifically the Supreme Court of Pakistan-and that he's free to travel as he chooses," The News quoted State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, as saying.

"And we continue to expect that Pakistan will resolve this situation and other internal issues in a transparent manner and upholding Pakistani laws and constitution," Nuland added.

Haqqani was forced to resign over claims that he was involved in drafting a secret memo against the country's army, and taking the help of Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz to get it delivered to former chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen through a mediator.

The Supreme Court had restricted his travel and ordered judges to investigate who was behind the memo, leading to speculations that President Asif Ali Zardari could be forced out of office.

"He is allowed to proceed out of country," Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had said in his order, after Haqqani's lawyer Asma Jehangir guaranteed that her client would appear before judges at four days' notice if required.

Last week, the Supreme Court rejected Ijaz's plea of giving his testimony on the matter from abroad over security measure. (ANI)