No deal with FIA to extradite Haqqani: US

WASHINGTON: The US State Department has outrightly contradicted all claims of a supposed deal underway with the FIA to extradite Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, in exchange for Shakeel Afridi, the doctor who helped CIA locate Osama bin Laden.

"Absolutely not," the State Department's spokesperson replied when asked if any such deal was in the play. According to some media reports, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general (DG) had told the Pakistani Supreme Court that the American authorities were contacted regarding Husain Haqqani's arrest, and that the Americans said, "you too have our man."

The Foreign Office also clarified its position saying that there was no deal being made with the US to handover Shakeel Afridi in exchange for Husain Haqqani. The FO spokesman said, "There is no deal with the US to exchange Dr Shakil Afridi with Husain Haqqani or Aafia Siddiqui."

The State Department here weighed in and declared that it did not comment on pending or potential extradition requests or confirm or deny that an extradition request had been made. The department spokesperson said, "The extradition process in the United States is governed by relevant treaties and domestic statutes," also adding, "It is not used to 'trade' prisoners."

When approached to comment, Husain Haqqani said, "It is unfortunate that a lie has been told before the Supreme Court instead of admitting honestly that I cannot be forced to return under international law. It is time for Pakistan’s establishment and courts to stop harassing me for my views. They should deal with real problems like why the country with the world’s sixth largest nuclear arsenal now has the highest infant mortality rate in the world.”