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Retired Pak Admiral Felt Safe in Texas

Arthur J Pais

For a man who could face at least 14 years in prison in Pakistan, Mansur-ul-Haq, former chief of the Pakistani naval staff, lived openly in Austin, the hi-tech city in Texas. It is also one of the more expensive cities in America. Haq's house in one of the greener parts of the city would easily fetch over $1 million.

Haq, 63, who is accused by Pakistan of amassing at least $3.3 million in bribes from defence contractors, was arrested on Wednesday, just as the courts were getting ready for the Easter celebration. He won't be able to get out on bail at least till Monday.

Haq, who was the naval chief from 1994 to 1997, was well known in the Pakistani community not only in Austin but also in Dallas and Houston. The Texas cities have thousands of Pakistani immigrants. A substantial number of them are in the real-estate business and many run 24-hour convenience stores.

Haq felt safe in Texas, sources say. He knew well that the Pakistani community was riven in Houston -- some owing allegiance to Nawaz Sharief, some to Benazir Butto, and many to the military regime.

But sources also say he felt safer in the Texas Pakistani environment because a large percentage of Pakistanis are keener on business than politics. Sources say he wanted to avoid the glare of New York and Washington politics.

"He could have sought political asylum," said a Pakistani businessman in Houston, who too did not want to be named. "But he thought he would be safe here -- that they [the Pakistani government] would not ask the FBI to arrest him and try to send him back to Pakistan."

Because of the Christian and Jewish religious events, not many details were available about Haq's arrest. His attorney Rip Collins is expected to talk to reporters early next week.

The Austin American Statesman quoted unnamed Pakistani officials writing to the state department that Haq had "recently stated that he intends to flee from the United States and travel to a third country to avoid extradition to Pakistan".

But Haq's associates and friends would contest that assertion. Even FBI officers say he lived an open life, though he was aware of a recently renewed warrant for his arrest.

"He was not hiding," Russell Schubert, an FBI agent, was quoted in the Stateman. "I don't think he expected the investigation to go this far."

EARLIER REPORT:
Texas court to decide on Pak admiral's extradition

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