The Pakistani daily, ‘The News’, has reported that the Zardari government has decided to restructure the ISI to make it more efficient and vibrant. 32 officers of Brigadier and Colonel ranks have been retired and more would be shown the door in coming months who prove to be of no utility.
On the face of it, it looks more a general human resource exercise that armed forces around the world are engaged in to cut down ‘extra fat’ and make them look more ‘young and fit’. The news report quoted a defence ministry official saying that the ISI was expanded in recent years out of proportion, especially the retired officers securing contracts for extension of service.
While that must be true, it must be kept in mind that the Pakistani government had been under pressure from both the US and China to revamp the organization to make it more responsible. Bush administration was particularly unhappy over the ‘role’ of the ISI in supporting groups that were helping the Taliban/al Qaida in targeting coalition forces in Afghanistan. China has also expressed its ‘unhappiness’ over the ‘unhelpful’ ISI attitude in securing the release of its kidnapped engineers. This had forced the Chief of Army Staff. Gen. Kayani to transfer the then chief of the ISI, Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj and replacing him with Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha. This had followed minor cosmetic changes in the political affairs department of the organization.
The Obama administration adopted a policy of exhibiting patience with Pakistan’s democratically elected leaders and security establishment, while working to stabilize the government through economic aid and diplomacy. However, the American patience seems to be gradually wearing thin and a ‘media leak’ through the New York Times in April this year exposed how the secretive S Wing of the ISI was providing militant groups with ammunition and fuel for the fight against NATO forces in Afghanistan. The report also stated that operatives in S Wing also recruit new fighters for the Taliban from radical madrasas inside Pakistan.
Gen Stanley McChrystal, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force and US Forces in Afghanistan, during his July visit to Islamabad, met military and ISI chiefs and expressed concern over their ‘insufficient cooperation’. US strategists presume that the Taliban network based in Quetta directs much of the Taliban activity in the bordering Afghanistan provinces of Kandahar and Helmand.
China has also conveyed its ‘impatience’ over lack of action in controlling Uighur armed groups who have not only been targeting Chinese workers in Pakistan but also reportedly penetrating into adjoining Xinjiang province. ISI chief, Gen. Pasha, made a secretive visit to Beijing from June 15-22, accompanied by officers dealing with these militant groups, to reassure the Chinese counterparts of the measures being taken to prevent the Uighurs launching any attacks inside China. Recent disturbances in Urumqi, the capital of the province, unnerved the authorities who again demanded the ISI to take firm action.
According to reports, the ISI has retained many retired officers of the ranks of Major to Colonel who have been guiding various terrorist groups including the Taliban. The underlying reason appears to be to have ‘continuity’ as well as ‘deniability’ since the ISI could always dissociate itself from these ‘retired’ personnel, who actually were on extended contracts, and describe them as ‘rogue’ elements.
There is no reason to believe that the ISI is ‘cleansing’ itself of its terrorist links. The organization has been demonstrating lately that it is ‘media friendly’ outfit and frequently giving briefings to local as well as international press. The above ‘briefing’ to the News reporter appears to be such media exercise as part of the efforts to ‘enhance’ its image.
What the world is looking for is a ‘restructure’ of ISI’s ‘mindset’ and not some ‘cosmetic’ changes in low level personnel. As long as the ISI continue to make a distinction of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban and refuse to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in the country, no one is likely to be amused by its media leaks of cosmetic changes in personnel.
