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Doubts fly as US envoy to Pakistan quits By Amir Mir
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/NE11Df02.htmlISLAMABAD - United States ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter's alleged meeting with one of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's most wanted men - Jamaat-ul-Daawa (JuD) amir Professor Hafiz Mohammad Saeed - seems to be the principal reason for his premature exit from Islamabad, after having served just over 18 months since his appointment in October 2010.
Munter, a career diplomat, abruptly quit his job last week, hardly 24 hours after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared Saeed responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai carnage and announced that the US was prepared to work with India to bring the JuD amir to justice. The November 2008 attacks were 11 coordinated shooting and bombing incidents across Mumbai by terrorists who allegedly came from Pakistan. The three-day rampage cost 166 lives, including six Americans, with at least 308 people injured.
Munter's decision to quit the ambassadorship prematurely has been confirmed by Mark Stroh, an embassy spokesman, who said, "He will be leaving this summer at the conclusion of his two years in the job. The ambassador had been weighing the option of continuing for a third year, but decided against it." No replacement has been named.
However, well-placed diplomatic officials in the federal capital claim that Munter's decision has more to do with behind-the-scenes developments that took place in Islamabad following the April 1, 2012, decision of the Barack Obama administration to put a price of US$10 million on information and evidence leading to the arrest and conviction of the JuD's Saeed. Saeed is also the founder of the pro-Kashmir proscribed jihadi organization Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). The bounty was announced for his alleged role in the Mumbai attacks.
Just hours after the US State Department announced the bounty, Saeed appeared on Pakistan's Geo TV. He said he was a free man - living in Pakistan - and was ready to speak with US officials at any time.
