ISLAMABAD (April 03 2008): In a clear indication to strictly follow Pentagon tailored-policy to keep on playing the role of frontline fighter against war on terror, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani government has called back Major General, Mahmood Ali Durrani (Retd) from Washington and appointed Hussain Haqqani as Pakistan's ambassador to the USA.

Haqqani, an internationally recognised intellectual and a political analyst was appointed as advisor on Foreign Affairs Ministry by the Gilani government just a week back. He is now going to take over the office of Pakistan's ambassador to US in a week or so.

Major General Durrani who was appointed as Pakistan's ambassador to US some two years back is already in Islamabad and having meetings with the PPP and PML-N leadership before taking over his new job of an advisor to the National Security Council (NSC).

Sources said the Prime Minister has already approved the replacement of Mahmood Durrani by Hussain Haqqani as ambassador to the USA and a formal announcement is likely to be made in due course of time. The decision of the change has already been conveyed to Hussain Haqqani. He has been asked to relinquish the office of the advisor on Foreign Affairs Ministry and get ready for the new assignment.

Mahmood Durrani's role as an advisor will be of extraordinary importance. He is considered as a trusted man of decision-making powers in the USA. His appointment as an advisor to NSC will be a bridge between the Pak Army, US administration and newly elected government in Pakistan.

He will also be having a very important role in pushing forward the peace and normalisation process between India and Pakistan. He is considered a strong supporter of normal relations between India and Pakistan. Durrani had been Defence Attache (DA) in USA from 1979 to 1982. Then he was selected as Ministry Secretary (MS) to Army Chief Ziaul Haq for three years from 1983 to 1986. He was serving as Div Commander Multan when Ziaul Haq died in an air crash on his return from Multan to Islamabad.

Haqqani has been a professor in an American university for several years. He has personal good relations with some US Congressmen. He can use his contacts is US to counter anti Pakistan criticism in USA and promote Pakistan's case for long term relations between Washington and Islamabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008