The Sunday Times report quoted Farahnaz Ispahani, who herself is President Asif Zardar’s spokesperson, as saying that she fled to the US for fears that ISI might kidnap her to force her husband to sign a confession and implicate the president.

The report quoted her saying: “What we’re seeing is the systematic killing or silencing of anyone who stands up to the institutionalisation of a militarised Islamist state, who advocates positive relations with the West or stands up for tolerance… I’m scared. The government can’t even protect itself.”

Her husband Husain Haqqani, who is in hiding at the Prime Minister’s House, is facing trial for allegedly dictating a controversial memo to a US national Manssor Ijaz seeking US intervention to “save the civilian government from the military”. Ijaz has shown his willingness to testify against Haqqani before the judicial commission and the trial could potentially lead to conviction of the envoy in treason case.

The Sunday Times report also said that moderate voices in Pakistan are being silenced by the country’s military intelligence arm, the ISI, and militant groups.

It listed some journalists, politicians and civil society members who were allegedly killed by the military itself or the extremist forces enjoying military’s backing.