Is Pak Foreign Office run from Rawalpindi?
I really wonder on whose advice ISI chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha would have cancelled his trip to the United Kingdom? His reporting line is to the Army Chief, Gen Asfaq Pervez Kayani, not the civilian set-up headed by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.Pakistan’s democratically elected regime had tamely let the arrangement be when the Army blocked its July 2008 move to place the agency under the Ministry of Interior.
Pasha’s trip to the UK was to discuss cooperation in fighting terror. The fact that the head of the dreaded spy outfit will stay home rather than keep his appointments with British counterparts is conclusive evidence of the Army’s decisive role in key foreign policy issues.
Cameron has stood his ground in the face of the Pakistani reaction that had its High Commissioner to UK, Wajid Shamsul Hasan terming his comments as “immature reaction from an immature politician.” The Pak envoy’s brazenly personal attack on the British Premier reminds one of the adage that war’s too serious a business to be left to the generals.
But can Rawalpindi (seat of Pakistan Army) sustain the coercive diplomacy it has foisted on Islamabad? The last word on the prickly face-off is yet to be heard as Asif Ali Zardari’s scheduled visit to the UK is still on. It will be interesting to see whether the Pak President will use the kind of language his country’s envoy employed against Cameron?
Shamshul Hasan’s idiom was reminiscent of Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s broadsides against S M Krishna. Scriptwriters who penned their pieces seemed more adapt at intimidating (which is a fauji’s forte) than at communicating (which is a diplomat’s trait). Both instances were proof, if there was a need for one, of civilian leaders playing second fiddle to army bosses.
The Pak Army’s strident reaction to Cameron’s perfectly legitimate concerns cannot but have its genesis in the Wikileaks’ expose of its two-timing tactics in the Afghan war. Rather than being on the defensive, it has chosen to brazen out international outrage over thousands of war documents now in pubic domain. In that limited sense, Gen. Kayani has drawn a leaf out of the Chinese book that often saw Beijing lock horns with Washington.
Like the Chinese market eyed by US multinationals, Rawalpindi is leveraging its frontline status in the war on terror to pursue its agenda of turning Afghanistan into a client state. Wikileaks’ Afghan diary is a wake up call for the Americans, the Brits and other NATO allies. If ISI could be that pernicious under their very nose, what’ll happen when they turn their backs on Afghanistan?
Cameron read the writing on the wall rather aloud to the world. The ISI may want to run away from the truth. But the questions it’s ducking will have to be faced— sooner than later.
Hindustan Times


(15 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

Azhar Hussain Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 12:38 am
He is not alone Singh, your whole cuntry is obsessed. ISI has and is doing a great job. Sardarji you have become irrelivent after the beating the hindu’s gave you guys in the 80’s. Mar Mar key ser narum ker diya hey sardarji.
[Reply]
S. Singh Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 2:16 am
@Azhar
It just shows that you Pakistanis cannot view anything other than through the prism of religion. Sikhs were attacked by congressmen (belonging to all religions, Hindus being the largest because Hindus being the laergest religion); not Hindus.
So, whom do you think Man Mohan Singh is? or AJP Abdul Kalam? Or Mrs Sonia Gandhi (she i not even born in India)? Or Ak Antony? (or one of his predecessor George Fernandez)?
Or AR Antulay?
Get a life Azhar. Give a lifeboat to your people. There is no reason why Pakistanis should not eb as good as Indians/ we are all from the ame stock. Get your army out of your administration.
[Reply]
Pakistani Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:38 am
ofcourse it is… if it wasnt for the ISI our so called leaders wouldve sold the entire country and moved to England already… ofcourse our president wouldve taken 10%… revolution is comming.. behold.. !
Shah Alam Khan Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:46 am
Dear Vinod Sahib,
As expected, your analysis is spot on. Having said this let me remind you, that the origin of some of the so called democratically elected elements of present Pakistani establishment. I presume Gilani was part of Zia-ul-Haq’a Majlis-e-Shoora (correct me if I am wrong). Most of the present members of their assembly are feudal lords, businessman who are connected in one or more ways to the coercive Zia regime (in all honesty under Zia there were limited choices- either you are with him or you are against; and we know what happened to those who were against! ). Do we really expect them to follow the spirit of democratic principles when it comes to rational thinking vis a vis institutions like the ISI? I presume the common Pakistani (not those who live in the US and are more patriotic than their in-house lot as shown by comments on this blog) is too effete to get out of the tangle of the army-political nexus, where the army is always the active partner. I won’t be wrong if I say that Pakistan has a controlled democracy (although there is no dearth of sane voices from within who oppose this association). ISI is essential for the army to run the country “appropriately”.
As for the Afghan war leaks, you are right in pointing out that Pakistan wants to present Afghanistan as a client state in the war against terror and the situation suites Uncle Sam. I only hope that the foreign office in New Delhi limits our interference in Afghanistan on a more logical (read economic) basis. Any experimenting in a region as volatile and as unstable as Afghanistan can endanger our own security….we surely don’t want the nation to be bled white by a group of drolly dressed mullahs carrying a rocket launchers on their shoulders!
Truly,
Dr. Shah Alam Khan
AIIMS, New Delhi
Blog: http://www.indiaandbharat.blogspot.com
Vinod Sharma Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Dear Dr Khan,
I agree with you broadly sir. But let us not assess the civilian leadership on the basis of its past. Nawaz Sharif began as a child of the establishment but grew up to challenge it like nobody before him. He even opposed the extension given to Kayani as Army chief.
Paul Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 2:30 am
Azhar, remember Hindus and Sikhs are brothers. Sikhs were created by hindus by giving the eldest son to create Sikhs. My mother was a sikh and I am proud of my heritage. In India hindus do not go killing hindus. Whereas in Pakistan, sunni’s are killing shia every day. No body even
condemns it. What a shame. India can never forgive what happened in 1984 at the hands of the few. We are ashmed of it.
Now coming back to ISI. The sad think is that ISI reports to the Military and not to the
civilian government. Civilian Government is non entity any way. Prime Minister had to extend the
term of Kyani by 3 years. If it was not extended, the general would have taken control of the
Government and kicked Gilani and Zardari out. Good luck Pakistan. I wish Pakistanis start realizing as to what is wrong with their thinking so that things can be set right. If you do not the problem, you can never find the solution.
[Reply]
Jeff Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 3:40 am
Paul, what have you learned from 1984, did you apply that in Gujrat, or Mumbai, or Ayodiah, or Kashmir? You should be ashamed of not just killing your fellow indian muslims but practicing caste aparthied as part of your religion and social fabric. Before you look to throw a rock at Pakistan, have a look at yourself and the glass house you live in. In Pakistan, we have our religious nuts that go around killing innocent people but at least that is a accepted part of our culture. As for ISI, I laugh whenever I hear indians calling Pakisan a failed state and in the next breath blaming ISI for every ill in their country and now in the whole world. Listening to Indians, one would think ISI has all James Bond 007 working for them. Man, I really wish ISI is as efficient as you all, and the idiot GW Bush clone Brit PM Cameron seems to believe. Now if the Brit Idiot PM will essentially blame ISI for double dealing, why would the ISI chief show up at the Brits house of innuendo? To get more insults? This writer is emotionally biased to not see a simpler explanation of why ISI cheif just piss*d off on Brits and instead is making a mountain out of a mole as sardar ji said (except he said it under the superiority complex of india so much better than Pakistan – LOL). Indians are emotional people, lots to like about them too but many of them are just idiots like Paul and Sardar Ji.
PD Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 5:48 am
Well said, Paul. Thanks.
I think exactly the same way as you do, you really read my mind.
PD
ahmed Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:00 am
Well, i do agree with sardar ji that indians are obsessed with Pakistan. Maybe it is some sort of collective inferiority complex on the part of india.
Just compare a pakistani newspaper with an indian newspaper. Indian newspaper carry at least one headline concerning Pakistan or the ISI every day, on the other hand a Pakistani newspaper rarely even mentions India.
Running of Pakistan’s military and ISI is an internal matter and why should ISI be answerable to the president when its a military organization. There are other civilian outfits like the FIA which are responsible for collecting intelligence for the prime minister. Theirs another problem in Pakistan which is, that Kayani and the pak army are immensely popular in Pakistan where as Zardari and Gillani are hugely unpopular.
And indians should stop reading too much into this democracy/dicatatorship debate. India has a poverty of around 42% (UNDP figures) compared to Pakistan’s poverty of 17% (UNDP figures). After 60 years, Pakistan’s dictatorships have delivered more compared to India’s democracies.
Mukesh Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:07 am
Azhar, what do you mean by obsessed, who the heck is obsessed here. Why does Pakis have so many militant training camp and why Pakis government always helping militants in creating trouble inside Inida.
And what are you trying to say by 1984 riots, it was insane act done by few who are getting the right punishment by judicial system here. This might sound alien to you because in your country justice to minority is never even heard of.
[Reply]
Legionnaire Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 4:22 am
Seems Pakistanies have not learnt lesson of 1971. Just wait and watch another partition of Pakistan is on cards.
[Reply]
Web Friend Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 6:02 am
Man have some self-respect especially when you come begging to play in IPL
You can’t protect a visiting cricket team, no country wants to visit you and your cricket board is entirely dependent on India for its survival
You hate India but are the first ones to play in IPL and even come begging to us.
The world cup in 2011 is taken away from which is like a slap on every Pakistani’s face
Does anyone in Pakistan has any shame left?
Your own so-called brothers from Bangladesh sided with India when it came to the issue of shifting the world cup.
What a great nation – Pakistan!! nothing but a dustbin!! lol
[Reply]
Jeeta Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 7:01 am
Your habit of seeing everything through the prism of religion has got you in the gutter in which you are lying today. We look at human as a human being irrespective of his religion. I belive amongst all the religions Islam is most backward, barbaric and intolerant and is responsible for turmoil in the world. and Your country (?)is a prime example.
[Reply]
Lalit K Jha Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 7:04 am
Pakistan’s begging capacity is kabil-e-taarif but as long as you obey uncle sam they will keep giving and you can stay alive on their leftover.. the day uncle sam thinks that you are liability, you won’t be on the map.
[Reply]
DF Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 7:24 am
Azar, Truth hurts. The shit has hit the Pakis blank on the face. Landyaji you and your country has become irrelevant beggars that your Pakistan is, you’ll still cannot fathom out that you are living on coins thrown in your begging bowl without it your country will be bankrupt. Gir gaya phir bhi taang upaar. It was your own terrorist Pakistan that supported Khalistan, now that things are not going your **** ways you blame the Hindus. You and your terrorist nation Porkistan are only fit for inciting violence just as your terrorist nation is doing in Kashmir right now. Sooner that later the US will be forced to designate your nation as a state sponsorer of terrorism the writing is on the wall. Just to prove a point our Prime Minister is a great Sikh and every Indian is proud of him. We have no problems between our Sikh brothers, your country incites problems. If the ISI is doing a great job howcome the whole world is clearly pointing a finger to your terrorist shit hole Pakistan.
[Reply]
Prudent Injeeli Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:21 am
There they go again, something to protest against; the dreadful bearded 4000 year BC, wild looking baboon like creatures on the streets of Pakistan, again showing to the world how unreasonable, fanatic and mentally twisted , warped and retarded they are. “Zardari must cancel his visit to the UK”, is what they are demanding. How hilarious, I thought there was nothing left under the sun to laugh at. But here we have it again. The opposition leader Mian Nawaz Sharif has said, if Zardari went to the UK, it will be a disgrace and humiliation of the whole nation. Disgrace and humiliation? Please tell me Mia Sahib, where is there “grace” and “honor “in the land of the pure. How often do you (Mian Sahib) visit the UK? Or have you now given up the idea of ever going there again to safeguard your country’s honor and “ghairat”? And now listen to this joke of the millennium, the MQM chief, who is enjoying all the benefits of the UK luxuries life for years , has made a towering remark, by saying that, President Zardari must not visit the UK ,as it is against the national “honor”. So, the beggars do have an ego. Interestingly, UK has been the home of this “great” Pakistani leader who dares not returning to the “holy land” for the fear of facing numerous cases registered against him. What a leadership and what patriotism! I wonder why the “civil” society of Pakistan has not called for the Pakistan cricket team’s immediate return after Mr. Cameron’s remarks. Why haven’t they boycotted rest of matches of the series? They better had, as things are looking quite bleak there for them anyway. The UK had kindly offered their country venues to the Pakistanis to come and play their “home series” in the UK, this is what they get back, and effigies of their PM are being burnt in the streets of the land of the pure. The truth of the remarks that the British PM has made, is no secret to the world after the revelations made by the wiki-leaks, but there is no cure for obstinacy and obduracy, and worst of all a death wish to continue to wallow in one’s miseries and stupidities. The trouble again is not with Pakistan, but their patron, the mighty Americans, whose hand they bite, yet who keep feeding them, under the notion that Pakistan is an “ally” in the war against terrorism. “How dumb of the Americans, even to imagine Pakistan as an ally in the war against terrorism. No doubt, they are making a “wonderful “progress in “winning” this war. Continue they may for a thousand more years; they will not win this war, as long as they have Pakistan a their “ally”. On one hand they are fighting terrorism on the other hand they feeding the terrorists. Can anyone please help me to understand this, are the Americans really so dumb, or they just pretend, for the fun of it. Anyway, God bless America!
Vinod Sharma Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 1:10 pm
@Ats
It will be interesting to see what transpires at Zardari’s meeting with Cameron
Raja Reply:
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:44 am
Are Azhar ji,
Maar to Pakistan ko ek Sardarji ki leadership ne lagaayi thi; aur itni maar lagaayi thi ki 95000 Pakistani faujiyon te tauba tauba bol kar 1971 december mein ghutne tek diye the.
Aur ab wohi fauj phir gurra rahi hai – bechare Afghanistan par! Pew research ke survey ne yeh bhi pata lagaya hai ki abhi bhi 84% Pakistani Punjabi aur 74% Pakistan Hindu stan se darte hain. Isay kahte hain maar padna.
[Reply]