ID :
14126
Mon, 07/28/2008 - 20:20
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http://m.oananews.org//node/14126
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Pak reverses ISI decision under "pressure from defence forces"
Islamabad, Jul 28 (PTI) Coming under "immense pressure" from the defence establishment, Pakistan government withdrew its decision to place the spy agency I.S.I. under civiliancontrol, leading newspapers commented Monday.
Less than 24 hours after moving to clip the wings of the Inter-Services Intelligence, the government issued a clarification stating that its earlier notification that the body had been placed under direct control of the InteriorMinistry had been "misunderstood".
The move, which fell short of withdrawing the earlier notification, followed reports of extreme tension between various sections of the government and establishment, and wasa result of intense back-channel efforts, the Dawn said.
The newspaper quoted sources as saying that the first notification, which was issued without consultation with defence authorities, had caused "great concern among army andother defence organs".
They said the back-channel discussions had continued throughout Saturday night, compelling the civilian set-up toreverse the decision.
A second statement issued Sunday following reportsof "immense pressure from defence circles", denied that I.S.I.
had been put under the Interior Ministry, saying the agencywould "continue to function under prime minister".
"The said notification (issued Saturday) only re-emphasizes more coordination between ministry of interior and the I.S.I. in relation to the war on terror and internal security," it "clarified". It also said a detailednotification would be issued later to clarify the situation.
Meanwhile, the News daily said the government stopped short of withdrawing the controversial first notification asit would have placed it in an embarrassing situation.
"The government will take some time to settle down on this issue as this single move, taken just a day before the prime minister lands in Washington on his official trip, has undermined the writ of the four-month-old P.P.P.-ledgovernment," it quoted a senior official as saying.
Director-General of the Inter Services Pubic Relation (I.S.P.R.) Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said the army chief and other defence authorities had not been taken into confidence on theissue.
He said the I.S.I. was a "huge organisation" and the interior ministry could not have handled its financial,administrative and operational affairs.
According to the original notification the two spying networks -- Intelligence Bureau and the Inter-Services Intelligence were "administratively, financially andoperationally" placed under Pakistan's Interior Ministry.
The new statement, however, reverses the decision on the I.S.I., while remaining silent on the I.B., creating confusion whether it would continue to work under the prime minister orunder the intelligence division, the Dawn said.
Meanwhile, Gen (retd) Hamid Gul, a former chief of I.S.I., praised the government's move to keep the I.S.I. under the prime minister's control, saying the earlier decision was merely a bid to please the superpowers without realizing thatit would only serve the interests of the enemies.
P.M.L.-Q Secretary-General Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, on the other hand, termed the flip-flop as a "failed attempt to capture the I.S.I. and convert it into a partisanpolitical instrument".
Hussain told reporters Sunday that it was "a fundamentally flawed decision of the P.P.P. regime on allcounts -- political, administrative and national security".
Less than 24 hours after moving to clip the wings of the Inter-Services Intelligence, the government issued a clarification stating that its earlier notification that the body had been placed under direct control of the InteriorMinistry had been "misunderstood".
The move, which fell short of withdrawing the earlier notification, followed reports of extreme tension between various sections of the government and establishment, and wasa result of intense back-channel efforts, the Dawn said.
The newspaper quoted sources as saying that the first notification, which was issued without consultation with defence authorities, had caused "great concern among army andother defence organs".
They said the back-channel discussions had continued throughout Saturday night, compelling the civilian set-up toreverse the decision.
A second statement issued Sunday following reportsof "immense pressure from defence circles", denied that I.S.I.
had been put under the Interior Ministry, saying the agencywould "continue to function under prime minister".
"The said notification (issued Saturday) only re-emphasizes more coordination between ministry of interior and the I.S.I. in relation to the war on terror and internal security," it "clarified". It also said a detailednotification would be issued later to clarify the situation.
Meanwhile, the News daily said the government stopped short of withdrawing the controversial first notification asit would have placed it in an embarrassing situation.
"The government will take some time to settle down on this issue as this single move, taken just a day before the prime minister lands in Washington on his official trip, has undermined the writ of the four-month-old P.P.P.-ledgovernment," it quoted a senior official as saying.
Director-General of the Inter Services Pubic Relation (I.S.P.R.) Maj-Gen Athar Abbas said the army chief and other defence authorities had not been taken into confidence on theissue.
He said the I.S.I. was a "huge organisation" and the interior ministry could not have handled its financial,administrative and operational affairs.
According to the original notification the two spying networks -- Intelligence Bureau and the Inter-Services Intelligence were "administratively, financially andoperationally" placed under Pakistan's Interior Ministry.
The new statement, however, reverses the decision on the I.S.I., while remaining silent on the I.B., creating confusion whether it would continue to work under the prime minister orunder the intelligence division, the Dawn said.
Meanwhile, Gen (retd) Hamid Gul, a former chief of I.S.I., praised the government's move to keep the I.S.I. under the prime minister's control, saying the earlier decision was merely a bid to please the superpowers without realizing thatit would only serve the interests of the enemies.
P.M.L.-Q Secretary-General Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, on the other hand, termed the flip-flop as a "failed attempt to capture the I.S.I. and convert it into a partisanpolitical instrument".
Hussain told reporters Sunday that it was "a fundamentally flawed decision of the P.P.P. regime on allcounts -- political, administrative and national security".
