

Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence

Both sides against the middle

Getting Pakistan’s spies to stop dabbling in jihad

See article

Readers' comments




I know and acknowledge that our leaders have also made some grave and fundamental errors in fostering this brand of militancy in the country to buttress their power bases. And as you would also know the majority of Paks know this is a bane and has to be dealt with. Yet also a fact that the same majority feels USA has made matters worse for its own convenience and instead of providing a solution to the mess is merely excerbating the problem. A couple of years ago, it seemed Sudan was on the radar but China's deep and heavy ties with that country saved that nation and its vast resources from possible American intrusion and entrenched occupation and ultimate expropriation. The appetite for oil is hard to satiate..


Well, isolated incidents of discrimination and crimes on minority which are not really supported by the administration as they get decided in courts in Pakistan, cannot be compared at all to the scores of killings done in connivance with the government by the Hindus in India - latest episode got due coverage in Economist. When you have major political party of India leveraging this brand of hatred and tyranny on minorities as a means to whip up support, how can you ever say that "religious freedom is exercised in India"?

When you have major icon of the all-loving Bollywood of Hindustan (India) - Shabana Azmi recently announcing plaintiffly that being a Muslim has ensured that "she cannot buy any reasonable property in Mumbai", nothing more needs to be guessed about the so-called religious freedom in Hindustan. If major personalities like Shabana have this terrible issue faced, what hope can you give to the downtrodden "untouchables" who have gotten converted in their millions to Christianity from Hinduism?

Coming back to the Afghan issue, being the lone superpower and one whose might can be impacted with swift results in remote corners of the world, it was incumbent upon USA to play its reforming and humanitarian role in Afghanistan post the Soviet defeat so as to fight the festering vacuum which got generated. If it was not oil-rich state it did not mean that all it was used for was to fight the Russians and then eventually getting its villages bombed.

American incursions into the bordering areas of Pak causes invariably loss of innocent lives multiple times the valid targets, and thus it creates a lot of unrest in the region - that is the main reason Pak objects to such arbitrary inflammatory attacks apart from the obviosu attack on its territorial integrity. Talking of US intelligence to track down the main culprits Osama etc., the CIA itself during the Afghan war admitted that it failed to act on its own intelligence regarding the whereabouts and possible elimination-chances to get rid of Osama, so how can they blame others for allegedly not acting on their information. Pak has captured and handed to America some of the top lieutenants of Osama - a fact lost on Obama and the other proponents of incursion.

sharlfL : In recent times religious freedom has indeed receded in India, with Christians in particular being unjustly victimized. Our collective reputation has been besmirched.

However Islamic countries are in a class of their own. You sound like a reasonable person, are you suggesting a moral equivalence between the situation in India where by and large, although with many blemishes, religious freedom may be exercised, and the situation in Islamic countries where discrimination is written into the constitution written by the founding fathers? It's like the apologists for communism who pointed to racism in the west and said that democracy wasn't any better than communism.

An aberration in one country cannot be compared to the default
case in another to say they're equally bad.

I remember the case in Afghanistan a year or two ago when a Christian convert was nearly put to death and only escaped after being proclaimed insane. Here's a link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Rahman_(convert). Is a similar situation concievable in India or Europe?

If a martian comes to earth tomorrow, and he sees one group which misses no opportunity to forcibly push its opinions on others, while the others allow individuals to make up their owns minds, what would he conclude?

Impassioned: Hindu is the word used by Greeks,Persians and others to describe those who lived along the Sindhu river,in modern Sindh province, ditto Hindustan. Hindus use the word Bharat when referring to the Motherland. Here is a link to remove the propaganda from your mind :

Once again, you have thrown mud without proper research and introspection. What about a consciously chosen name; Land of the "pure", pakistan, with the deliberately implied impurity attributed to everyone else? How hypocritical can you get??? This sort of behavior has made muslims the most hated community all over the world.

As for institutionalized racism, that has indeed been the case. However we have long ago admitted our mistakes and made efforts to correct them. Caste based discrimination is outlawed and the disadvantaged castes are now given quotas and special privileges. If you are interested in objective truth and not self-serving propaganda, here it is: Caste is quickly becoming a non-issue in a rapidly modernizing India, especially in urban areas. My own family has multiple inter-caste marriages. The problem persists in many rural areas, but is gradually being ground down. In a couple of generations,it'll probably be consigned to the dustbin of history.

We're not like those who commit massive discrimination, written into their constitutions, and then accuse others who have free, secular laws. I'm curious, do you really think India has more institutionalized discrimination than your country? Have you read any independent history books?

I note that you have not responded to the Nuristan incident link I posted.

Javed Rashid

The war against terrorism is Pakistan’s was, we have fought this war even before the Americans came to Afghanistan . Pakistan does not subscribe to the interpretation of the terrorists in fact this interpretation has no basis , the Koran does not allow or sanction any such interpretation . . We fought this was many years ago against the Russian intervention , that war for quite some time we fought alone , till American resources were made available, that war we fought to avoid the encirclement of Pakistan by forces which included the one State that created Bangladesh. It is ironic that the same state is once again heavily involved in Afghanistan , and even more heavily involved in Baluchistan and Pakistan’s North where Chinese engineers were beheaded and that was filmed and distributed to Chinese audiences. Seems our regional Imperial power has a very effective PR and spin team .Well done largest Democracy .


One more thing : the 'recommend' icon could be clicked once from each computer. If you are at work one person can go to different cubicles and click it several times.


To impassioned

I stand corrected. The comment hindus are "a bunch of losers" was made by 'infinityman'. My comment should have been directed to infinityman not you.

Being an American, I don't follow how I am "propagating my point by making false allegations". I have studied South Asian history and, honestly, current geopolitical climate doesn't bode well with Pakistan.

By the way the derivation of "Hindustan" is from "Hindoostan" which was the name given by early (~1000 BC) Persians and Greeks. The word Hindustan means "the part of northern India where Indic languages prevail". The religion being practised at the time adopted the word "indoo" and then "hindu" and not the other way round. Therefore, your premise that Hindustan is the land of Hindus is without historical merit.

Now back to the article.

ISI was found soon after the 1st India-Pakistan war to collect Intelligence. Recruitment of tribals was necessary to carry out missions in treacherous conditions (army morale was low) As far as Pakistan was concerned, this was a low scale low budget "war" that could be carried on for a long time with India. US and NATO always dismissed it as a small regional conflict over the years.

Infrastructure was set up in this tribal areas to train religious (jihadi in madarassa terms) soldiers. ISI continued to fund the set-up until enormous funds came from the US during Soviet Occupation. This windfall was heartily welcomed and readily accepted by the ISI under the tenure of General & President Zia-ul-Haq. Many jihadis shifted from the Kashmir area to the mountanious regions Afghanistan next to Pakistan.

Eventually, Soviets were expelled, the US funding stopped; however, the ISI mission got refocussed. A student movement of 'pure-islamists' were given impetus and funding by the ISI and the Taliban was born. The US had no involvement here. ISI was motivated to control Afghanistan and abort any influence India may have in the country.

9-11 came and the regional conflict now became a global terrorist haven.

I hope Pakistanis are able to control this monster now that democracy is taking root. The monster is in Pakistan not the US or India. The world image of Pakistan is a country mired in not only home grown terror but that of a haven for terrorists worldwide.


The Truth...: I admit that most of Muslim countries have limitations to their non Muslim citizens and I accept your accusations to be true. But it is not all roses in India either. As Economist pointed out earlier this year, the freedom of religion is getting a kick there also.Religious freedom is receding, not advancing, in India. Half a dozen Indian states have introduced laws that make it hard for people to leave Hinduism. These states are mostly ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). But last year Himachal Pradesh became the first state led by the more secular Congress party to bring in such legislation: such is the power of Hindu sentiment that even non-religious parties pander to it.The state’s new law is billed as a “freedom of religion” measure, but it has the opposite effect: anyone wishing to switch faiths must tell the district magistrate 30 days before or risk a fine. If a person converts another “by the use of force or by inducement or by any other fraudulent means”, they can be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both. Local pastors say “inducement” could be taken to mean anything, including giving alms to the poor.As a liberal Pakistani, I would admit that Pakistan needs to change a lot more than India. But most of us hate democracy and love dictators. Only a few months in power, it appears it is slipping in the same direction as last democratic governments.


Impassioned:You are repeating your theory of blaming the west. Did you not read my comments? Singing a one track song can get boring. The world thinks pakistan is in a mess and you cannot blame others for your own ills. Unless you change your tune, nothing is going to happen. This space is only a discussion forum, we must wake up and see how the world sees us. In pakistan everybody talks like you. The evil is west and we are the innocent victims. The evil that men do lives after them. What Zia did will haunt us for a long time, but we can break the magic if we wake up.



Well, firstly I never called Hindus "a bunch of losers"! But yes this indeed leads to an interesting insight - use of false allegations to propagate your point. Why put words in my mouth - are your arguments so tenuous that one has to resort to making things up?

I do not see the relevance much either of "the truth and..."'s perennial obssession with bringing religion and trying tamely to bash Islam in every article related to Pak when the irony is he is supporting Hinduism - a religion whose scriptures are rife with unveiled racism and blatantly discriminantory edicts leading to historical exodus of millions of "untouchables" ionto the arms of Christianity and Islam. Furthermore, especially in context of the Hindu fiasco which is the subject of another debate - the institutionalised racism endemic in India.

"Hindustan" - by the way is another name in India of their country - "Land of the Hindus" - now what more can possibly be more institutionalised and parochial than that?

Yes,indeed US created the monster in Afghanistan and is now unable to control it. CIA militarily pumped billions of dollars and thus funded and forged the alliances there to consolidate the grip of Talibans in mid 80s, and are now calling them their enemy. Was it not US's responsibility to provide economic aid to the people there and reconstruct Afghanistan after the Soviet's were driven out and American interest served?


to impassioned

I am flabbergasted at your (and many similar to yours) implication that the US is the perennial culprit, villain, and Pakistan is a beacon of utopian society. Let's not forget India either. A week ago I read your comment on Hindu-Christian clashes and you bashed hindus as 'a bunch of losers'.

Is this really the mindset of Pakistanis. I hope not. If it is, the world has something definitely to worry about. If Pakistan does't think that this war is theirs, how can you ever defeat the Taliban who are destroying the fabric of Pakistani society and rendering it almost a failed state.

If it's US's problem than let them target the militants across the border - why create such a fuss.

Read any terrorism related article in a major newspaper or magazine many references to Pakistan will be found. However, India is hard to find a mention. Despite your heated and hated rivalry with neighboring India, the world view of India is a country that, inspite of many problems, continues to forge ahead economically. Pakistan on the other hand is thought of as a haven and cradle of militancy and terrorism.

The initial step to any solution is first acknowledging that there is a problem and that the problem is yours.


Impassioned: You did not get my point. Pakistan's policies have been dictated by dictators and they were happy to please USA. USA is serving its self interest. That should not be taken as an abuse; all countries should think of their self interest. But Pakistan is in a mess because it is following others orders. If i tell you to go on 10th floor and jump and you do, then it is not me but you who is at fault. This blame game does not work anymore when Pakistan is considered a terrorist state by the world. But now Pakistan must face the music and try to eliminate the taliban from its soul. With or without America. Some are saying we are killing our own people. Our people? Those who kill innocent men, women and children, need thrashing and no mercy.


I see an Indian here has commented on "A nation whose founding ideology is hatred, xenophobia and bigotry" - little does he know he is posting in the wrong article - the gory details of the harrowing ordeals faced by the erstwhile "Hindu-converted "untouchable" Christians is depicted in a recent article which details on the shameless connivance of ruling Indian political party with the racist Hindu marauders.

Imagine the institutionalised discrimination faced in the racist-driven culture of Hindus in India which must have driven these poor people away from Hinduism. "Hatred, bigotry and xenophopia" - full cocktail packed in one astonishing repulsive religious doctrine and responsible for the abandonment of so many Hindus of their religion.

So really put your own house in order before talking about others.



Well, as of now, not 14 but 17 of the readers have recommended my first viewpoint ;)

Anyhow, on a more serious footing, it was Hobson's choice for Pak to side with USA and drive out Soviets from Aghanistan in the mid 80s as we were the next in line in the Kremlin hegemony surge towards the Arabian Sea. CIA armed the Taliban to the teeth and provided Stinger missilies and massive logistical support because they had a common enemy in the Russians. But then did Pak have a choice in all that - was it not just following the dictat and policy of the Americans as it also was deep pressed to defend its teritorial integrity against the rampaging Russians?

The question is how can you possibly sever this relationship with the Taliban whose rise to become a force to be reckoned with in Afghanistan was accompanied by diminishing Soviet factor? It was not simply an On-Off button which ISI could have played with.

There was a solution though in the early 90s - as Americans with their new-found status as the lone superpower of the world could have provided the much-needed forceful leadership to keep Afghanistan on track away from religious extremism through economic and humanitarian assitance and prosperity-driven measures, but it chose to ignore the area. An economic chism widened further letting religious extremism to take hold and dominate the proceedings. Pak never had the wherewithal or the resources to constrain the activities of the Taliban as so many of them were derived by then from their local populace too. Allied with such a porous and long border which runs into hundreds of kilometers of rugged mountaneous terrain, Pak foreign policy had no alternative but to leverage the Taliban factor to counter the hegemonic designs of Indians which manifested so blatantly when the neighbors triggered their intimidating and extremely provocative nuclear tests as a means to stamp their authority over the region.

Anyhow, history tells us that you can simply not suppress and overwhelm the Pushtuns - they are most reislient and the only way round the impasse was and is to provide them with economic aid and development incentives - the crying shame that it might be too late now given the unbridled and unremitting use of firepower and bombings by the NATO forces which has so much alienated the civilians amongst the masses.


Impassioned: I notice there were 14 people who 'recommend' your views. I don't need any recommendation. Obviously my views belong to a minority. may be non Pakistanis will push the button, which is also sad.


Impassioned: Your analysis may have some validity, but the cards have already been drawn. Pakistan has messed up the whole situation itself. First it joined USA to arm Afghanistan, which made Pakistan a guns running country, as it discovered new born Islam, then these guys were packed to Kashmir and the world became a narrower road for the country. your claim to Kashmiri freedom may be justified, but the method used were rotten. Now the country is in a mess. hardly any foreign airlines, other than Arab ones, fly to Pakistan, the sports events are being cancelled. Hardly anybody visits pakistan. Economist called Pakistan as the most dangerous place on earth a few years ago. You see the world has concluded which side is right or wrong. No need to argue there.Right now, ISI is not the major issue; it is the mentality of ordinary pakistanis who think the war on terror is being fought for USA. there is nothing further than truth. The democratic government will not last long, if the majority of population does not change its outlook. I see no light at the end of the tunnel. It is so sad, as I am a liberal Pakistani myself


Of all the accusations and Karzai-initiated canards to mask failure of NATO forces and Afghan Govt. to bring peace to the region, the one about ISI's alleged involvement in the bombing of Indian embassy in Afghanistan rings hollow as much as it is unsubstantiated. That Indians also accuse ISI of involvement is really no surprise. There is a saying in Pak that even if a child farts in India, Indians conveniently hold Pakistan to blame for that ill-happening.

But I wonder why don't the Americans ask the innocent Indians why they have multiple stations along the Pak-Afghan border - what is the exact purpose of thousands of Indian agents stationed there - be it not for instigating suicide bombings and other forays to destabilise Pak especially in neighboring areas of Balochistan?

The whole region of Afghanistan has festered and surely slid over the precipice thanks largely to American indifference after the Soviets were unceremoniously defeated with the help of the same Taliban (called freedom-fighters by CIA in mid 80s!); and arbitrary and heavy-handed moves of bombings of targets with massive collateral damage is only playing into the hands of Taliban who have had massive recruiting agents in the shape of American soldiers and NATO planes rampaging villages of the area. Is that how you win hearts and minds of the local populace - by razing their homes to the ground and burying their innocent kids and women in the rubble? So much for diplomacy and economic humanitarian help for the already-downtrodden locals.


Latest blog posts - All times are GMT
Bitcoin: New money
Free exchange March 17th, 8:18
The Economist on China: Weekly round-up
Analects March 17th, 4:34


Products & events