Ahmed Shuja Pasha, New ISI Chief
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha has replaced Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj as director general of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The Australian reports that Washington had been pressing Islamabad/Rawalpindi hard to replace Taj as late as Sunday night. President Asif Zardari reportedly met with CIA Director Michael Hayden this weekend in New York. What they discussed specifically is unclear — but Hayden reportedly provided Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will a proposal for “ISI reform” in July.
Taj, a Musharraf relative and appointee, is depicted as the face of the organization’s alleged double game vis-a-vis militants along the border with Afghanistan. He will now head Gujranwala’s XXX Corps.
Pasha, just promoted from major general, had been director general of military operations (DGMO). In this capacity, he headed the Pakistan Army’s operations in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and so his appointment provides no indication of a change in the military establishment’s war on terror policy.
He has represented Pakistan at the tripartate commission meetings and served as UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s adviser on peacekeeping operations.
MAJOR CORPS COMMANDERS CHANGES
The Pakistan Army announced a host of other major personnel changes, most important of which is the appointment of Lt. Gen. Tahir Mehmood as corps commander in Rawalpindi — the second most critical position, behind chief of army staff, for any coup.
The new corps commanders for Bahawalpur and Karachi are, respectively, Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yousaf and Lt. Gen. Shahid Iqbal. Lieutenant General Mohsin Kamal, formerly Rawalpindi corps commander, has been appointed military secretary at GHQ.
Several senior officers were scheduled for retirement this Saturday.
Chief of Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Kayani met with Prime Minister Gilani today in Lahore, after his return from a week long visit to China. The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei is also in Islamabad, making the rounds.
Dawn writes that Kayani “has put in place a new team to implement his vision for reviving the prestige of the armed forces and for enhancing the security of the state.”
And so with his own ISI chief and Rawalpindi corps commander in place, one could say this is now, at last, Kayani’s army.
Even though the major reshuffle of top ranks by Kayani was apparently done because of US pressure, it appears that the US is not entirely happy with the results. There are also indications that Kayani is consolidating his power with the deepening divide between Zardari and the military. It appears that the military shares the suspicions of many Pakistanis that Zardari is in bed with the Americans, or at least playing a double game. It’s not clear how or when the situation will be resolved, given the deep distrust. The confusion will probably reign for a while. It’s going to be costly for Pakistan as it faces growing militancy and freely falling economy along with the lack of clarity of leadership.
I am surprised to see anovementioned view.There is no difference looking anywhe between presedent Zardari and Pakistan army.The people who do not know genral Kiani and Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha those can say this.The both genrals are totally professional and there is no record of there political involment any time in their lives.The both are serious type personalities and famous for their tight lips.Now the command of Pakistan army is in the best hands after decades.Now it is the best time for the politicians to do something for the nation.The colation in the centre and the provinces are the real represntatives of the public.Pakistan Peoples Party,PML(N) ANP MQM and allies are there,who one else is there to claim the public representation.It is the high time to get results but they will have to go to public and not to play in hands of Beorocracy.
Riaz, I agree with you 100%.
Only a few entities truly benefit from the elite discord in Pakistan. Most prominent among these are al-Qaeda and the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan.
Unfortunately, prudence is lacking.
Pitting Pakistan’s institutions against one another is a recipe for disaster. In such a scenario, the ‘best’ thing that could happen is a soft coup. At worst, well — let’s just say it would be very, very ugly and difficult to contain.
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Anwer, I agree with you that the military is less politically inclined than in recent years. This has provided an opportunity for civilians to focus on institutionalizing democracy and good/improved governance. It is an opportunity many of them, quite sadly, are wasting.
More resources have been invested in sidelining Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry than in pushing so-called judicial reform.
February 18th provided an excellent opportunity to produce lasting change in Pakistan. But the country’s political direction is being managed by short sighted individuals in and outside the country.
The potential consequences are grave. Just look at that “success” called Iraq.
I am happy to see the results comming but have to say again
Presedent Zardari,Mian Nawaz & Mian Shahbaz,Asfand Yar Wali And Alaf Hussain
God has given you a chance
people of Pakistan has selected you all
Give Justice to the people,NRO for everyone and now no corruption
See What people will do?
We are not afraid of Taliban,We are not afraid of any superpower
But please think forus ,We deserve Justice
it would be naive to hope aything but more corruption from people who are in charge now.
I personally do not now about nawaz sharif, but i was resident of Karachi, so i know MQM and PPP, and my answer would be “FORGET IT” dont even think/dream of getting something from them.
Pakistan’s prosperity lies in the abandoning Fuedalism, which MQM proclaimed for years, but joined hands with PPP. (who is born and strive on the laps of fuedalism).
The solution is to create a party, in which a middle class or anybody but educated can get a ticket to run for public office. That is all.
i am not asking that he should win the run for office. because i know, he will not the first time, nt 2nd but someday forsure. but when he wins, Pakistan win.
please dont hope anything from PPP,ML-n-q-p , MQM,ANP, tehreek-insaaf, JUI OR ANYBODY.
they are not serious. they do not know what you want.
ISI- is Pakistan.
remember intelligence agency is always first defence of a country. I am proud of ISI, and we all should.
lets keep it simple, and support ISI.
its our lifeline.
I am very sorry to see it.ashamed to feel it but every body must see an artical with *** means an advertisement on front page of daily Jang and with a photograph at back page of daily *The News*about inaugration of a road called Express way from so called DHA welly.Please must see and write what do you feel and must look the photo and then deciede what is the future?
instead of glorifying ISI or superficial analysis we have to realise the fact that the problem is grave and has a long historical past,the ISI or the generals are also not the angels that they are being painted.pakistans afghan policy from 1978 was not based on national considerations but narrow personal considerations of survival of an illegitimate military regime totally isolated.having said that the ISI strategy in afghanistan was deeply flawed.this is the opinion of many including a relative who was handling the major south afghanistan operations including kandahar etc from 1981 to 1992.the failure to have a north of hindu kush strategy and so many other failures led to pakistan getting the worst name in the world.now the situatio again is a compicated mix and i dont see any individual in a key position as changing it….already the army operations in NWFP are not in a good shape…the army is not politically neutral,it never was actually since 1954,just its the international pressure,now the army is manipulating through political proxies,so we should not be surprised if we see a PML N government in next 6 months.all maniplated
further to this a major reaso why the ISI and the military inteligence chiefs were removed was because they both were relatives of general musharraf ( and were percieved as very close to him) ,as I see it having interacted with the US military and NATO in Afghanistan as a contractor and security consultant , the Americans dont give a damn if nadeem taj or shuja pasha is the ISI boss.the bottom line is that anyone in their position will be bound by the same compulsions.
Maj. Amin, I guess you are replying to Danish, not me. I did not articulate an opinion on the ISI.
I agree with many of your criticisms, as I too find the strategic thinking in Pakistan quite lacking (comprehensively). And the problem from any authoritarian system (civilian or military) is that in restricting opposition/competition it reifies its own internal weaknesses (by eliminating potential external corrective forces), reduces the pool of intellectual capital, and becomes overly concerned with self-preservation.
Your claim that the army is not politically neutral is very interesting, given that Gen. Kayani announced the closure of the ISI’s political cell on Saturday. What do you make of that? And are you suggesting that the Army is in favor of the PML-N coming to power (either because of direct support for it, or because it would provide a more favorable political context/cover)? Who are the Army’s “political proxies?” Specific, contemporary evidence would be very helpful.
I must say reading your writing elsewhere (particularly book reviews) gives the impression that you are very bitter. That is not to say such an outlook is unwarranted in Pakistan. I like your critical approach, though I find it a bit petty on occasion. It would be interesting to read why you feel the way you do.
Also, as with your previous comment, you are long on criticism and short on your own, independent ideas or alternatives. The latter would be very welcome. It might be difficult to provide one for today’s Pakistan, but then what’s the use of commenting if it has no potential contemporary usage? Alternatively, it would be interesting to see a more detailed critique of Pakistan’s Afghan strategy of the 80s.
i proud of isi and its performence.keep it up.
ISI is one of the best and very well organized intelligence agency in the word and am agee with danish its our life line
lef sujha pasha refuses to meet the higer authorities of us.thats indicate that there is sort of conflict.
how nice would be that if those people start discussing the matters with the elected people who come into power on the basis of public ulikethe old time when henry kissinger use to threat the rulers not to suport them in case if the do not go along with them,which might not be in the best intrest of pakistan.
what i can not understand is that why would the us allowed some one as cheif of isi or joint cheif of staff who will disoby them or may be the institutions in pakistan is getting stronger
will any one please tell me who realy is rulling pakistan.is it reallythe 2.5% fudels who become fudels cause english gave them lands when the were leaving india in responce to their favoir for english.
who really make our foreign policy.how come we even after 61 years not independent.why would we take advises from us even to appoint an important office.it looks like they are more responsible to the us than to thair own people.
some body please tell me.i am a student.
So the tome proved that Kiani and Pasha are our best available army stuff. (Till they do not enter in power play). However I am sorry N$ and Showbaz are playing the traditional Punjabi politex.
From ghufran Australia
ISI is not only the name of military inteligence but infact if any body knows it is the first line defence for pakistan.Respect for ISI is exist in our blood, we must stand by ISI as patriotic pakistani.Amirica and world media target ISI becuase ISI does not allow anybody to destroy pakistan.No ISI means no Pakistan.Changing the ISI cheif does not mean changing the policy of ISI.Up untill ISI is in tact, pakistan will intac too.The world power want to deprive us from ISI. so that we become afghanistan and Iraq.Live long ISI and pakistan.ISI is currently fighting for the survival of paksitan as we are sorounded by enemy deprive us from our nuclear nukes, as they have important role to play.