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Pakistan appoints Sherry Rehman as new US ambassador | Pakistan appoints Sherry Rehman as new US ambassador |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani has appointed lawmaker and former information minister Sherry Rehman as the country's new ambassador to the US. | Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani has appointed lawmaker and former information minister Sherry Rehman as the country's new ambassador to the US. |
Ms Rehman replaces Husain Haqqani, who resigned on Tuesday over claims that he drafted a memo seeking Washington's help against his country's military. | Ms Rehman replaces Husain Haqqani, who resigned on Tuesday over claims that he drafted a memo seeking Washington's help against his country's military. |
A lawmaker for the governing Pakistan People's Party, Ms Rehman is a close ally of President Asif Ali Zardari. | A lawmaker for the governing Pakistan People's Party, Ms Rehman is a close ally of President Asif Ali Zardari. |
She is considered to be one of the most liberal politicians in the country. | She is considered to be one of the most liberal politicians in the country. |
In February she dropped her attempt to amend the country's controversial blasphemy laws, accusing her party of appeasing extremists. | In February she dropped her attempt to amend the country's controversial blasphemy laws, accusing her party of appeasing extremists. |
She was one of only a few politicians prepared to speak out on the laws - which she argued were being used to persecute minority faiths. | She was one of only a few politicians prepared to speak out on the laws - which she argued were being used to persecute minority faiths. |
In April she told the BBC that her life was in danger as a result of her stance and that she had to stay away from public meetings. | |
Summoned | Summoned |
Ms Rehman's predecessor, Mr Haqqani, is accused of compiling a memo seeking US help to avert a military takeover in Pakistan following the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May. | Ms Rehman's predecessor, Mr Haqqani, is accused of compiling a memo seeking US help to avert a military takeover in Pakistan following the killing of Osama Bin Laden in May. |
The ambassador denied the allegations, which were made by a US-based lobbyist. | The ambassador denied the allegations, which were made by a US-based lobbyist. |
The row put already tense relations between Pakistan's civilian and military leaders under severe strain. | The row put already tense relations between Pakistan's civilian and military leaders under severe strain. |
Mr Haqqani was summoned to Islamabad earlier this week resigned after meeting Pakistan's top civilian leaders, the head of the army and intelligence service chiefs on Tuesday. |