ISI to have more civilians at the top

[Clutch]

ISI to have more civilians at the top


Malik AsadUpdated September 17, 2017
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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has increased the civilian share in the senior hierarchy of the country’s premier intelligence agency — Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sept 15, 2017 approved a proposal to increase the number of directors general (DGs) — the highest civilian post in the agency — from one to four.

The post of civilian DG in the ISI is a grade 21 position, equivalent to a serving major general of the armed forces.

Previously, there was only one civilian DG post in the intelligence agency.

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PM Abbasi approved the summary sent to the PM Office by the Defence Ministry, proposing four civilian DGs in the ISI.

In addition, the prime minister has also enhanced the number of deputy directors general (DDGs) from eight to 15. The same summary recommended the creation of seven additional DDG posts for civilian officers in grade 20.

PM approves three new DG posts in grade 21, seven deputy director slots in grade 20

According to the office order issued by the PM Office on Sept 15, “The prime minister has seen and is pleased to approve the proposal at para 5 read with the views of Establishment Division… and of Finance Division.”

The office order titled: “Revised establishment — Defence Intelligence Service (DIS) Cadre Of Directorate General ISI” was signed by the Prime Minister’s Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad and was circulated to Establishment Division Secretary Mian Asad Hayauddin, the finance ministry and the defence secretary.

When contacted, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet and Establishment Division Raja Javed Ikhlas termed the order “a routine matter”.

An official of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) did not comment on the development, but said that since the prime minister was the competent authority, as the ISI worked under the PM Secretariat, it was his prerogative to increase the sanctioned posts in the agency.

Formed in 1948 as an independent unit to strengthen the country’s intelligence network, ISI was formerly part of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which handled intelligence-sharing between different branches of the military, as well as external intelligence gathering.

Its headquarters was initially located in Rawalpindi, but was later moved to Islamabad.

In 1950, ISI was officially given the task of safeguarding Pakistani interests and national security, inside and outside the country.

During the Soviet-Afghan war, ISI was strengthened and re-organised, with a handful of posts being created for civilians from the Defence Intelligence Services (DIS) cadre.

According to a former ISI official, it was in 2005 when retired Gen Pervez Musharraf approved the posting of a civilian as DG ISI in grade 21 for the first time. The process for the promotion of civilian ISI officers was slow, since there was only one DG slot, he said.

However, with the addition of seven grade 20 and three grade 21 posts, the official hoped that promotion of civilians, especially young DIS officers working in “hard areas”, would be accelerated.

In June 2013, some ISI officials had petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the slow pace of their promotions. The petition stated that there were over 300 officers in grade 17 to 21 in the five cadres of the ISI, including the Surveillance (field intelligence) cadre, Vetting cadre, Joint Intelligence Miscellaneous cadre, Ministerial cadre and DIS.

The petition was dismissed by IHC Chief Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi in September the same year, saying that the aggrieved officials should approach the Federal Services Tribunal, which was the relevant forum for such petitions.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2017

 

[The Accountant]

I think rather than doing these cheap tactics there is a need of removing political rule of isi and there is a need to create a highly powerful and independent agency .. independent from both polticians and army having investigative and prosecution powers against judiciary, burecracy, parliment and military ... this agency has to be highly open in the conduct and every case closed by them should be open for public scuitny no matter how sensitive the issue is ... we deserve to know the elite is doing ... only then we can get rid of this mafia

 

[S.Y.A]

I think rather than doing these cheap tactics there is a need of removing political rule of isi and there is a need to create a highly powerful and independent agency .. independent from both polticians and army having investigative and prosecution powers against judiciary, burecracy, parliment and military ... this agency has to be highly open in the conduct and every case closed by them should be open for public scuitny no matter how sensitive the issue is ... we deserve to know the elite is doing ... only then we can get rid of this mafia

I think that it is a good step, it will turn ISI into a career agency, civilians will work harder now when they know that they too can now get to the top. Armed force personnel serve only for a few years before being transferred elsewhere, civilians were not able to get to the top, so they too would leave and join other organizations. This way at least the civilians will have an incentive to keep on serving. Hence, more experienced personnel at the top.

 

[The Accountant]

I think that it is a good step, it will turn ISI into a career agency, civilians will work harder now when they know that they too can now get to the top. Armed force personnel serve only for a few years before being transferred elsewhere, civilians were not able to get to the top, so they too would leave and join other organizations. This way at least the civilians will have an incentive to keep on serving. Hence, more experienced personnel at the top.

But brother are the intentions to strengthen the institute or hijack it ? If it is to strengthen the institute then i am fine and infact it would be a good move but i doubt that ...

What is your read ? Furthermore who will be hiring and promoting those persons ? Is it agency from within or will it be done by gov ?

 

[Green Arrow]

It was under consideration from a long time due to the increased in operational size of the ISI.

 

[pak-marine]

good progress

 

[fitpOsitive]

I think rather than doing these cheap tactics there is a need of removing political rule of isi and there is a need to create a highly powerful and independent agency .. independent from both polticians and army having investigative and prosecution powers against judiciary, burecracy, parliment and military ... this agency has to be highly open in the conduct and every case closed by them should be open for public scuitny no matter how sensitive the issue is ... we deserve to know the elite is doing ... only then we can get rid of this mafia

There are already many agencies working around. In my opinion, merging agencies and organizations will be a better idea. Currently FIA, ISI, MI and IB are all doing each others works. Clear distinction of play ground, and of course less vulnerabilities from corrupt leaders and directors should be key mark to achieve.
Similarly, there should be an institute, specifically training politicians, because this is ironic that an illiterate and untrained person is supposed to control all trained and experienced people working under him.

 

[Amaa'n]

But brother are the intentions to strengthen the institute or hijack it ? If it is to strengthen the institute then i am fine and infact it would be a good move but i doubt that ...

What is your read ? Furthermore who will be hiring and promoting those persons ? Is it agency from within or will it be done by gov ?

it is purely an internal matter of Organization -- seats have to sanction by the Govt, hence the approval from PM ---- but end of the day it will be HR of the said organization who are responsible for the recruitment & promotion of said employees ----just because it says DG doesnt mean it will be DG ISI but the DG of the said wing ---

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Worrying trend considering the performance of our police managed by political ministers

 

[Autodidact-knowledge]

It is with a manadate to hijack the agency. After NS removal political circle understood the importance of intelligence agencies. Army personnel are very difficult to influence by politicians but for civilians who hve been throughout in intelligence alliances will determines their progress like bureaucrats.

 

[sady]

This is going to be tricky.
There is a risk of Civ vs Military grouping in ISI as there is already some cribbing done from civ quarters. On the other hand non intelligence background Army Officers are promoted to DG level which is also quite strange. My suggestion would be to remove rank from Army officers when becomes part of ISI in early career and he must stay in ISI till retirement. DGs should be based on merit not civ/military quota. DGI should be also be a career coming from lower ranks however to keep Army insight should be selected by within three recommendations of COAS by PM. IB should be merged with ISI and made domestic intelligence wing/directorate of ISI.

 

[tarrar]

Ganja league & gadari party are doing whatever they can harm PA & Intel agencies.

First Gadari were following the US script of breaking ISI thankfully PA came strong against these BS steps & now Ganja league doing the same. PA will have to come hard against such BS as these intentions are clear destroy ISI so that these treacherous bastards could harm Pakistan easily.

 

[S.Y.A]

But brother are the intentions to strengthen the institute or hijack it ? If it is to strengthen the institute then i am fine and infact it would be a good move but i doubt that ...

What is your read ? Furthermore who will be hiring and promoting those persons ? Is it agency from within or will it be done by gov ?

civilians are hired through FPSC, when the agency needs more staff. and of course it is the agency that promotes them, not the govt.

IB should be merged with ISI and made domestic intelligence wing/directorate of ISI.

why would you want that? in the UK and US MI-5, and FBI are separate from Mi-6 and CIA. so should be the case here.

 

[sady]

civilians are hired through FPSC, when the agency needs more staff. and of course it is the agency that promotes them, not the govt.


why would you want that? in the UK and US MI-5, and FBI are separate from Mi-6 and CIA. so should be the case here.

Well FBI is not intel agency it is equivalent to our FIA. Problem is the dichotomy of power. Civ/mil leadership is both immature but civs moreso till there are more mature statesmen in civ IB is a dangerous tool in a childs hand.

 

[Chak Bamu]

Army should focus on its core responsibilities. Intelligence etc.. should be left to politicians and bureaucrats, like the rest of the world does.

Civilian oversight in form of committees and panels from National Assembly and Senate is necessary. Focusing on any particular political dispensation is just plain wrong. Politicians are elected or rejected based on their performance. It is people's decision who happen to pay taxes for governments to spend. No one institution has a monopoly on patriotism. Rule by agencies is always a problem and leads to a strong state and weaker nation.