Reform of ISI

The moments during which ISI has not been the focus of attention in the past quarter of a century have been very rare indeed. This is not surprising considering the lead role that this organisation played in the Afghan jihad against the Soviet occupation and its deep involvement in the subsequent developments relating to Pakistan's external security and even its internal political evolution. We are all familiar with ISI's objectionable interference in the country's internal political affairs in blatant violation of the constitution during the past two decades if not more. But the current controversy about its role and functioning in the wake of the botched attempt by the PPP government to bring it under the administrative, financial and operational control of the Ministry of Interior is extraordinary even by ISI's standards.

This controversy has been raised to new heights by the reported complaint by President Bush to Prime Minister Gilani about the leakage of actionable intelligence by some ISI officials to the terrorists before they were hit by the US or Pakistani forces. The US media has also carried reports about the alleged links between the ISI operatives and the jihadi elements having close ties with senior Al-Qaeda figures as well as about ISI's alleged involvement in the recent bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul. Of course, these charges have been categorically and forcefully denied by the Pakistan Foreign Office and army spokesmen.

However, the controversy about the ISI's role in Pakistan's external and internal affairs does not show any signs of dying down. It is high time that a serious attempt was made to scrutinise the organisation's role and functioning with a view to ensuring that it serves Pakistan's security interests in the best manner possible. Time has also come for the reform of this vital organisation so that it fits into Pakistan's democratic political culture as desired by the overwhelming majority of the people of Pakistan and the international environment in which it is supposed to operate. Unfortunately, its activities during the past two decades have worked at cross purposes with both the requirements of democracy within the country and the compulsions of the prevailing international environment.