Sources say the PM was compelled to withdraw his decision by the military high command while he was on his way to Washington
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government’s failed bid to take over the control of the otherwise notorious ISI was actually motivated by American pressure on the heels of Prime Minister Gilani’s Washington visit, as the only sticking point in his talks with President Bush is going to be the controversial role of the Pakistani spy agency inside Afghanistan, that is directly in conflict with the interests of the US, which wanted the elected government to rein in the rogue elements in the ISI.
Sources say the PM was compelled to withdraw his decision by the military high command while he was on his way to Washington. Within 12 hours of the issuance of the notification regarding the ISI, the sources say, the situation had come to a pass where the PPP Chairman Asif Zardari had to ask PM to withdraw his previous orders which could be used as an excuse by the military eshtablishment, including the President Musharraf, to dissolve his govenrment.
Well placed diplomatic sources in Islamabad say while the US trust the Pakistani political leadership, they believe that there are people within the ISI who still back militants, almost seven years after Pakistan joined the war on terror. The US also blame the so-called rogue elements in the ISI for facilitating cross-border movement of the Taliban and al-Qaeda militants into Afghanistan.
The sources said the Americans had even provided all kinds of evidence, videos, audios plus transcripts to Pakistani authorities, pertaining to the double games the ISI had been playing in seriously stopping the terrorists inside Pakistan from operating freely.
Therefore, Gilani was under tremendous pressure from the US to do something concrete, before embarking upon his US visit, to clip the wings of the agency and contain its larger than life role in strategic decision making and planning.
Yet the manner in which Gilani and even Asif Ali Zardari handled the matter so casually and without deep thought has now caused a major public embarrassment for Gilani, who had to withdraw his decision of placing the ISI under the control of the ministry of interior.
The retraction came in less than 24 hours following reports of extreme tension between various sections of the government and establishment and as a result of intense back-channel efforts. Sources said the reversal of Saturday’s decision was the result of ‘immense pressure from defence circles’ on the civilian set-up.
Hardly 12 hours after placing the ISI under control of the interior ministry, the government issued another notification saying that the earlier notification had been misunderstood and the ISI would continue to function under the PM.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}