The Non-Intelligence of Intelligence in Pakistan

We in Pakistan are blessed with not one but three intelligence agencies, namely, Inter services intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and Military Intelligence. Most intelligence agencies work under the government of the day, doing its bidding and reporting covert activities within and generally outside the country. By some twist of fate, our intelligence agencies have taken a role of their own which is if not larger than the government, is as important. They work outside the parameters and purview of the government and military command and have taken a superlative position which is above and beyond the government.

The mother of all agencies is the ISI, which was made basically to share intelligence within the three branches of the armed forces and carry on regular espionage and surveillance duties as are within the domain of such institutions. But, ISI, has today become a rogue agency, working outside any governmental control, and is playing the part of proxy government at times to the embarrassment and surprise to the government of the day. It has its own agenda, at times at variance with the professed policy of the government, and it has turned its attention to spy and curb dissention and independent opinion at home.

The name of ISI is now synonymous with terror organizations of the past, such as the Russian spy master, the KGB and Hitler's own secret service the Gestapo. ISI in mimicking the tactics of these terror organizations have wielded terror and fear amongst the already harassed citizens of this country.

The death of journalist, Salim Shehzad recently is being imputed to ISI as he was on the track to uncover some unpalatable dealings of the spy-company. ISI is given secret funds which are not accounted for, in a country which is already on the brink of bankruptcy and is brimming full of poor people, can we actually afford this kind of luxury? Moreover, we must ask what has the ISI done in concrete terms for the good of Pakistan?

Let's see, the main achievements of ISI are the dismemberment of the country, secondly the continued support of militancy in Kashmir earning us the ire of India, the birth and nurturing the Taliban who have now become too big for their boots and so on. Apart from this, ISI is also being credited to keeping Osama bin Laden in safety close to the Pakistan Military Academy as in a nod to the sheer incompetence of the army itself. It kept Osama alive probably as a golden goose to be bartered for some favors from the US at a later stage, or only as a ruse to have one up on the US, whatever the reason the government of the day was clearly not in the loop and it has come out looking stupid and vapid to say the least.

There is a hue and cry now of some infiltration of the Al Qaeda in the Pakistan Navy, which, if true is highly alarming, just as the attack on Mehran naval base was, and the ability of 10 militants to keep the naval officers of a nuclear power hostage for 16 plus hours is a failure of intelligence at the highest level. Why doesn't Lt. General Shuja Pasha, who is heading ISI, resign after this debacle? why? ever not? there seems either an implicit involvement of the agency itself to embarrass the government? or maybe possible infiltration of Taliban and Al Qaeda sympathizers in the agency itself!

What is being seen by the common man on the street is an unleashing of terror tactics towards its own citizens such as kidnappings of people in Baluchistan and also targeting and undermining the explicit policies and the agendas of the government by these agencies whose 'hidden hand' is seen in every dark deed that takes place here. And on the other hand, a complete failure on national and international level to maintain security in the country.

So, a piece of friendly advice, instead of being scared of Taliban attacks and Al Qaeda bombings, we should be on the look out for ISI and co, who have no compunction in abducting, torturing, and killing its own people. The ISI is the new Gestapo who will knock your door in the middle of the night, haul you out, take you to an undisclosed location and beat you black and blue, and all this is done primarily in the name of 'securing' the country! They are the fiends that we must watch out for and stay clear of - for they carried on the Kargil offensive in 99 without the knowledge of the government, there are solid links coming to the surface of its involvement in the Mumbai attacks of 2008, and now its hidden role in the Osama debacle which apparently kept the armed forces in the dark. And, of course the whole deal with the drone attacks in which the Government of PPP and coalition is in. To add more to this horrendous list is the crazy incident of 'Raymond Davis' who had a rather public brawl with two of its informers. ISI has been seen behind advent of every martial law in the country and the collapse of the democratic system.

All these agencies, working on their own with immense power and financial freedom are what we now call the 'establishment' or 'the powers that be' for it decides who is placed where, which party is to form a government ( as in who wins the elections) and who will play what role. So, when we have a totalitarian rule and only a facade of a democratic government (which is a joke itself,) and despite all cries to the contrary the hailer of human rights America is ready to do business with us knowing full well who is in charge then why must we play the shenanigans of parliament and senate, and debate, and opposition? aren't we at 64 a little too old for these childish games?