Brig (Retd) Imtiaz Ahmed speaks

ISI is target; DG ISI vindicates confidence in people’s power; Demand for presenting defence budget in Parliament dangerously placed

Interview Liaqat Toor

Islamabad—In a great game going on in the region, CIA in collaboration with RAW is destabilising Pakistan to ultimately achieve its objectives of having a strong foothold in Afghanistan, containing China, and controlling Iran and oil reserves in the Middle East.In an exclusive interview with Pakistan Observer, Brig (Retd) Imtiaz Ahmed, who has to his credit seventeen years of long experience in intelligence service of the country including his appointment as the top man in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) while giving his views on post-Osama period said Pakistan is passing through a difficult time when CIA has unleashed its onslaught against ISI to malign it in the eyes of the people of Pakistan and the world.Imtiaz said war on terrorism, in fact was war on Osama by CIA in collaboration with Raw. The situation is clearing up now as Osama has been eliminated, who was in fact non-functional. Ayman al-Zawahiri and other top-ranking leaders were in the driving seat carrying out their missions.

Following Osama’s death, Al-Qaeda and its associates who will feel handicapped, are bound to take revenge with fall out on Pakistan. He cited the example of Shabqader terror incident on Thursday where more than eighty men of Para- military force were perished in two suicide attacks.Basically, he said the Abbottabad episode has plunged the country into a new state of affairs after the US military invasion deep into Pakistan’s territory. Now, Pakistan has to fight on two fronts— terrorism and brute force of America.When asked how Pakistan could face this American brutalism, he said Pakistan’s domestic political scene is overcast by holocaust created by CIA and its collaborators causing misgivings and feeling of insecurity across the entire national canvass. The whole national scene has to be seen in the strategic plan conceived by the US in collaboration with India to establish its writ in South Asia. Their objectives are confinement of China, influence on Iran, strong foothold in Afghanistan and controlling oil reserves of Arab world. To execute this plan, the US has chosen India to be pushed as a military giant in the region and act as watchdog. The immediate visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Kabul carried its own connotations. It is also reflected from malicious and baseless propaganda on Indian media against Pakistan about Abbottabad episode.Pakistan, he said, by virtue of its God-gifted geographical location and being nuclear state is being pushed by Americans in a pliable status. Since ISI is a hurdle in their way, consequently, CIA has made of late, Pakistan armed forces and ISI the target of their well- orchestrated and baseless sinister campaign of allegations, he said. The leadership of armed forces and ISI are possessed with high value of professionalism and dedication to build up strong fortress of defence of national sovereignty against the onslaught of Pakistan by the US spearheaded by CIA. The leadership has already refused to yield to US pressure of “do more” and had even considered the Kerry Lugar bill not favourable to Pakistan’s war on terror.In this connection, he said recently, the Army Chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and ISI Chief Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha had asked the US to revisit their policy on drone attacks and stop operating their covert intelligence network in Pakistan as unfolded in the Davis Raymond ugly incident.He said the dynamics of the American violations of territorial limits of Pakistan find roots in CIA’s venomous dislike for our military and ISI leadership. The US drive against Pakistan’s internal stability and the two state institutions, which are guarantee to our collective defence is brining politico-religious forces, the people, armed forces and intelligence agencies together to thwart this move. To a question about government’s response to Abbottabad episode, Imtiaz said no doubt, during the first 48 hours there was inertia at government level which gave open field to the US and India to unleash “misinformation missiles” which swept the peoples’ perception and a section of media. In this backdrop, some political and religious forces found a fertile land to push their political agenda rather than national demand. However, in-camera briefing of the parliament by leadership of army, PAF and ISI followed by marathon question and answer session is unique precedence which unveiled hard facts so that it should not leave any ambiguity anywhere, be at home or abroad. The offering of accountability to Parliament or any other forum by Lt. Gen Pasha has brought in focus his leadership quality, courage, conviction and confidence in people’s faith.

Nevertheless, he said some political elements influenced by their political cravings are damaging national harmony. Their inaptitude to the national scene unwittingly served the designs of CIA and RAW. The recent press conference by the top leadership of PML (N) has come as blow to national unity and national institutions. Amazingly, their series of political romance in the past with those who are now being criticised by them are littered with power and money. The demand made in the press conference for presenting budget of armed forces and ISI in the Parliament is dangerously placed as it will cause a jubilation for CIA and RAW.

He said the armed forces have a very strong and strict monitoring and accountability procedures of its budget. Pakistan is at a cross- road of history facing strategic threat of American collaboration by India and some other geo-political forces inimical to Pakistan. The armed forces and ISI have the strength to thwart such threats as no dent is created in their power potential by false play of Osama by the CIA.

Imtiaz said the history has provided an opportunity to Pakistan to rehash its policies relating to foreign, economic, war on terror and future intelligence sharing cooperation.

  ( Pakistan Observer )