Honest Assessment of the Situation in Pakistan.

Hue and cry about ISI

By Asif Haroon Raja

After taking Pakistan on board in October 2001 as a coalition partner, a web around Pakistan was cleverly woven by USA-India-Afghanistan-Israel combine with a view to destabilise, denuclearise and de-Islamise it and turn it into a client state of India. For the achievement of these objectives, our strengths were to be emasculated and our psycho-politico-religious-social vulnerabilities accentuated.

The state institutions, army, nuclear assets, fighting elements within FATA and elsewhere were marked as targets. To start with victory of King’s Party through rigged elections was validated since rubber stamp National Assembly under the control of blue-eyed Musharraf suited them. In response to the allegation that foreigners were based in South Waziristan, Musharraf agreed to induct the army in the quagmire of FATA.

Cards of religious extremism and cross border terrorism were played. After maligning AQ Khan nuclear network’s involvement in nuclear proliferation, fear was created that sooner than later our nuclear assets would be stolen or taken over by extremist elements. It was said that our nuclear assets were unsafe and our control systems inadequate. Musharraf accepted all the charges pasted on Pakistan and vowed to remove their concerns. All Jihadi groups were banned and their funds frozen and Kashmir issue put in the back burner. Our agencies and police in conjunction with FBI and CIA hounded and nabbed religious extremists and hundreds were handed over to USA without trials. Purging of conservative elements serving in nuclear setups and ISI was done at the behest of USA.

Soon after, a vicious propaganda campaign was launched against the army in 2004 to defame it. Baluchistan was heated up and BLA reincarnated from nowhere forcing the army to take stock of the situation. Both flanks of the country were enflamed. Musharraf was pressed in 2006 to hold elections and restore full democracy. Chief Justice Iftikhar was made non-functional in March 2007 since he had taken suo moto notice on missing persons and was seen as a threat to future plans conceived by USA-Mush. After extracting firm commitments from late BB on certain sensitive issues, USA brokered a deal as a result of which she was allowed to return under NRO. On finding that she had begun to charter an independent course, she was bumped off. Musharraf was allowed to impose emergency on 3 November to remove defiant judges and replace them with pliant judges. MMA was conked out to allow liberal parties to come to fore.

Consequent to elections in February 2008, although another dummy legislature was put in place under Gilani to complete the ritual, however, real power remained in the hands of cultivated persons with soiled past who captured key appointments. Decisions on crucial matters rested in their hands and they were also linked with Musharraf who was told by his mentor not to vacate presidency. Oil crisis were created to bring down all our economic indicators. Restoration of deposed judges was complicated to breed judicial crisis and political instability. Pakistan was then declared as the most dangerous country. Having purposely destabilised peaceful Fata, it was demonised through a well orchestrated media campaign where Osama and some of the top Al-Qaeda leaders were believed to be hiding. It was declared as the most dangerous place on earth from where a 9/11 like attack against USA could emanate.

It was then alleged that not only the army was not doing enough to control terrorism in Fata; some of its elements as well as the FC and the ISI were in collusion with the Taliban and were not within the control of the government. US military commanders blamed Pakistan for the sudden surge of Taliban and increase of fatalities of Nato troops in Afghanistan which in their view was because of inking of peace deals with militants and ISI’s linkage with them. Since June their posture has become aggressive and Pakistan is painted as real threat to world security. Bush has threatened Pakistan of dire consequences if Pakistan is again found involved in terrorist attack in Afghanistan. USA also pressed Pakistan to scrap peace deals and deal with the militants firmly and show results or else US-Nato troops would be constrained to barge in and act unilaterally.

Using its old policy of stick and carrot, USA succeeded in pressurising Pakistan government to do away with its policy of dialogue and recommence the policy of force. Series of military operations have been launched, first in Khyber Agency, then in Hangu and in Swat and now in Bajaur Agency. Mohmand Agency will be next in the firing line. This is part of the preparatory manoeuvre to soften the ground for US-Nato offensive against North and South Waziristan sometime in September.

It was in context with war preparations that the ISI was picked up as the chief suspect contributing towards successes of the Taliban in Afghanistan. It was also accused of playing a double game. In American assessment the ISI was bound to jeopardise their intended operation in FATA.

Having gained monopoly over the internet, wireless communication, satellite communication, mobile network, GPS and imagery system, USA has succeeded in penetrating each and every system in vogue and rendering the world naked and vulnerable. Nothing remains hidden from its roving eyes. Its success is however dependent upon the cooperation extended by the country receiving its technology. In Pakistan, it has yet to fully penetrate within our nuclear setup, ISI and Nadra. Placement of ISI under MI-6 agent Rehman Malik was the first step towards its emasculation. Strategic Planning Division controlling various nuclear organisations is another target whose funds for R&D have been radically reduced by PPP government.

Having worked intimately with CIA since from 1981 till 1989 and again from 2001 onwards, it should be asked as to why the ISI has suddenly come in bad books of USA with which CIA and so much of hue and cry is being made. The ISI accidentally stumbled across hard evidence indicating deep involvement of CIA and RAW in Swat, FATA and Baluchistan. It learnt that the duo had friendly terms with militant groups within FATA which were fighting Pak army and was unfriendly with those who were pro-army. Hellfire missiles were fired from Predators to disrupt peace negotiations or to gun down pro-army elements. Having smelt the rat, the ISI quietly started to monitor their activities and tracked their agents involved in sabotage, and wherever possible, restrained from sharing intelligence. Having played dual game for so long while pretending to be friends, Americans have felt so outraged over ISI’s modest effort to safeguard Pakistan’s interest that it has been put on the firing line.

The ISI has been brought under vicious propaganda spearheaded by India and duly supported by Afghanistan and USA. The US senior most officials including Bush have alleged that ISI has links with Jallaluddin Haqqani based in Khost whose set up is engaged in fighting Nato-Afghan troops in Afghanistan. They charge that the ISI forewarn the Pakistani Taliban about US air strikes against suspected targets in Fata and that it has evidence of ISI’s involvement in attack on Indian Embassy in Kabul on 7 July. However, the accusers have not furnished any proof to substantiate their allegations.

PPP leaders with feet of clay panicked and a notification placing ISI and IB under Ministry of Interior was issued on 26 July. Abrupt issuance of the notification to time it with visit of Gilani to Washington was a clear indication that the move was made to appease Bush. The plea taken was that it would help protect army and ISI from defamation and earning a bad name. Placement of premier agency under the leash of iniquitous and unelected Rehman Malik whose performance in the last four months leave much to be desired caused consternation to many. Mercifully the notification was cancelled because of severe criticism but efforts to cut it to size would continue.

Even if it is agreed that the ISI has links with Pakistani Taliban in FATA, there is nothing immoral about it since they are also Pakistanis and not foreigners. There is nothing alarming about its contacts with Afghan Taliban since both Pakistan and USA had helped the Taliban to capture power in 1995. 1.8 million Afghan refugees are still residing in Pakistan. RAW, besides destabilising all its neighbours, is also busy destabilising Pakistan from its new base in Afghanistan in concert with RAM, Mossad and CIA. Afghan refugees who have returned, Uzbeks and Baloch dissidents are being trained by RAW in Afghanistan and launched into selected areas with full connivance of CIA. BLA leadership based in Helmand is patronised by RAW and CIA. Foolproof evidence of RAW’s activities in Baluchistan had been furnished to visiting Bush in March 2006 and also to Karzai. Pakistan’s lukewarm complaints have however been ignored because of lack of aggressiveness and consistency on part of our leaders.

Contrary to Pakistan’s diffidence to avoid naming the culprit openly and making noise about it, India has blamed Pakistan for each and every terrorist act taking place in India or in IHK. At times it has cooked up dramas to serve its vested interests. ISI was blamed for terrorist attack on State Assembly in Srinagar in August 2001 and then on Lok Sabha in December 2001. Both attacks were stage-managed to justify carrying out biggest ever troop mobilisation against Pakistan. The purpose behind it was to coerce Pakistan to change its policy on Kashmir as it had done in Afghanistan and rein in all Jihadi groups. This time the target is ISI which has acted as a first line defence against RAW’s conspiracies and has at times used its long arm within India. The Indians are instrumental in convincing and colouring US perceptions about ISI and are keen to make it impotent.

Having destabilised FATA, adjoining districts of Frontier province and Baluchistan, MQM has now been geared up to destabilise Karachi under the plea of threat of Talibanisation. Altaf has given a call to the activists of MQM to arm and train themselves in martial arts to confront the self-created threat. The MQM will go to any length to please its foreign masters. By September both eastern and western borders would be heated up and Pakistan will again be coerced militarily to extract more concessions. In October 2001, USA’s position was strong and it had bargained from a position of strength. Musharraf had melted all too soon and conceded more than what Americans had expected. He again wilted under Indian pressure in 2002 and ceded several concessions. Today, USA stands on a weak wicket and is not in a position to dictate terms but Pakistan also is weak and ruled by weak-willed rulers. Dual faced Zardari’s sincerity will be tested soon when Musharraf will be impeached.

Asif Haroon Raja is a retired Brig based in Rawalpindi and a defence and political analyst.