National security adviser MK Narayanan said Indo-Pak ties had seen a “fair degree” of progress during Musharraf’s tenure
NEW DELHI: : ISI’s threat has become greater after Pervez Musharraf’s exit, India has said and wondered whether the present dispensation in Islamabad would be able to rein in the notorious intelligence agency which has become “hyperactive” in the recent months.
National security adviser MK Narayanan said Indo-Pak ties had seen a “fair degree” of progress during Musharraf’s tenure and several “half-cooked” and “three-quarter cooked” ideas to improve relations which were in the pipeline and could be taken forward with “great statesmanship” and “courage”.
He said Kashmir “isn’t the easiest thing” to resolve and wondered whether the PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, a “friend” of India, who is likely to be the president of Pakistan, is “going to take it on as the first test of his leadership.”
The NSA praised Pakistani army chief general Kayani as “a widely respected professional soldier” but was not sure if he had the capability to rein in ISI and other anti-India elements.
“Yes,” Narayanan said in an interview to Karan Thapar on a programme India Tonight when asked whether in Musharraf’s absence the threat from the ISI has become greater.
“In the last few months, the ISI has been hyperactive in many ways... and we are concerned that kind of activity could increase because that’s what they know how to do best,” he said.
“I think the ISI, even under president Musharraf, were not controlled to the extent we would have liked. If that is not the case and you now have a civilian administration that’s still trying to find its feet and an army general, who has stepped back and is not anxious to get involved in affairs of state, now (in those circumstances) what position could the ISI come to?” Narayanan said.
“Intelligence agencies are like Alsatians, they have to be kept under check. Musharraf was the president and chief of the army. Few people have held such authority. Kayani is, of course, the chief of the army and should be able to control the ISI. But if president Musharraf, wearing two hats, could not curb all their activities, then I don’t know if Kayani can do very much better... I think intelligence agencies tend to become very difficult when they have no real masters,” he added.
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