Husain Haqqani

Husain Haqqani was born in Karachi and studied international relations at the University of Karachi. He began as a journalist, reporting on Muslim communities and political movements in East Asia and later covering Pakistan and Afghanistan for the Far Eastern Economic Review. His government career included advising Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, and Yousaf Raza Gilani, and serving as ambassador to Sri Lanka in 1992–93. ¹

Before his Washington appointment in 2008, Haqqani taught international relations at Boston University. His 2005 book Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military examined the relationship between the armed forces, religious politics, and the state. ^{1, 2}

In Washington, he worked with Senator John Kerry on the five year, $7.5 billion civilian assistance package adopted in 2009. The initiative faced criticism within Pakistan, including from the military. In a November address at Boston University, Haqqani argued that the United States needed a more durable relationship with Pakistan and that repeated changes in American engagement had deepened public distrust. ²

Haqqani resigned in November 2011 amid the controversy known as Memogate. Businessman Mansoor Ijaz alleged that he had arranged a memorandum seeking American help to restrain Pakistan’s military after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Haqqani denied involvement. Pakistan’s Supreme Court ended its proceedings in February 2019, leaving the government to decide whether to pursue the matter. ^{3, 4}

After his ambassadorship, Haqqani continued research and commentary at the Hudson Institute and co-edited Current Trends in Islamist Ideology. His later books included Magnificent Delusions, a history of Pakistan–US relations published in 2013, India vs Pakistan: Why Can’t We Just Be Friends? in 2016, and Reimagining Pakistan in 2018. ¹