Pak Govt rules out leakage of information by Foreign Secretary

The Pakistan Government has ruled out possibility of leakage of classified information to the US by Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan through his spouse Susan R. Johnson who holds an important office in the US State Department.

Islamabad, Aug 17 : The Pakistan Government has ruled out possibility of leakage of classified information to the US by Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan through his spouse Susan R. Johnson who holds an important office in the US State Department.

"There is no reason to doubt his integrity," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khusro Bakhtiar.

He said Riaz Mohammad Khan was not Foreign Secretary when he married Susan, currently serving at the US State Department as senior coordinator Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Affairs in Washington.

Bakhtiar said that Khan had obtained prior permission from the government before marrying a US national.

He pointed out that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto also became Prime Minister while he was in wedlock with an Iranian national.

The house was informed that there were a total of 13 employees at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who were married to foreign nationals. Three of them, including the present foreign secretary, had married American nationals.

Senator Enver Baig said he did not doubt the integrity of the Foreign Secretary but anything could happen any time.

Baig said the Foreign Secretary was already on extension and was getting another extension.

"Is it because of US pressure," the Dawn quoted him, as asking.

ANI