Tag: Inter-Services Intelligence

Categories
-Top News Asia News PAKISTAN

ISI ex-chief Faiz Hameed to seek early retirement

Pakistan's Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed (Photo Credit Twitter via ANI)

The news of Lt Gen Hamid’s retirement comes a day after family sources said that Pakistan Army’s Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Azhar Abbas had sought early retirement as well.

Lt Gen Faiz Hameed — former intelligence chief and the current commander of Bahawalpur Corps — has decided to take early retirement, the media reported on Saturday.

The news of Lt Gen Hameed’s retirement comes a day after family sources said that Pakistan Army’s Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Azhar Abbas had sought early retirement as well.

The two army men were listed among the six army officers nominated by the General Headquarters for the army chief’s post, Geo News reported.

CGS Lt Gen Azhar Abbas decided to bid farewell, seeking early retirement, his brother confirmed to Geo News on Friday.

Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed

“I confirm that Lt Gen Azhar Abbas has sought earlier retirement to maintain his grace, honour and dignity as a decorated officer of Pakistan Army,” he said.

“Known for his professionalism, farsightedness and leadership, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas has decided to bid farewell, seeking early retirement — true to his personality,” a trusted family source said.

It may be noted that Lt Gen Hameed was the director-general of Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan while Imran Khan was prime minister.

ALSO READ: Top brass Azhar Abbas’s early retirement hints at rift within Pak army

Categories
-Top News Asia News

Pakistan’s ISI given legal cover to screen government officials

The Dawn news report said that in doing so, “the government has given legal cover to a practice that had already been in place, but had not been formalised as part of protocol”.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has officially tasked the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to screen government officials before their induction, appointments and postings, as well as promotions, a media report said.

The Dawn news report said that in doing so, “the government has given legal cover to a practice that had already been in place, but had not been formalised as part of protocol”.

In a notification, the Establishment Division said: “In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section 1 of section 25 of the Civil Servants Act 1973, read with notification No. SRO 120 (1)/1998, the Prime Minister is pleased to notify Directorate General Inter-Services Intel�ligence (ISI) asSpecial Vetting Agency (SVA) for verification and screening of all Public Office Holders (Officers Category).”

An Establishment Division official told Dawn news that the ISI and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) both send their reports about civil servants before the latter are posted on important assignments.

Reports are especially sent to the Central Selection Board (CSB) at the time of promotion of bureaucrats.

The practice has continued even though superior courts had, in a few cases in the past, discarded such intelligence reports while noting that there was no legal provision in the Civil Servants Act that mandated agency screening of civil servants.

Nadeem Anjum, Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan

The official told Dawn news that notwithstanding the notification, the IB will continue to send its reports as per routine.

The official said that since the government has now given legal effect to reports issued by the ISI, these could henceforth be used in courts as a valid legal document.

ALSO READ: Imran says Pakistan will split into three

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan PAKISTAN

Pak ISI chief in Kabul as Taliban set to announce govt

Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence Faiz Hameed.

Pakistan and its notorious intelligence agency, ISI have been accused of supporting the Taliban in taking over Afghanistan, reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan intelligence chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed has arrived in Kabul leading a delegation of Pakistani officials as heavy fighting is underway in Panjshir valley and the Taliban is set to announce the formation of a new government.

Pakistan journalist Hamza Azhar Salam said that Hameed is visiting Afghanistan at the invitation of the Taliban to discuss the future of the two countries.

“DG ISI, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed has arrived in #Kabul leading a delegation of Pakistani officials on the invitation of the Taliban to discuss the future of #Pakistan and #Afghanistan ties under the new Taliban government,” he tweeted.

ISI
Ambassador Syed Ahsan Raza Shah welcomed 7 member high level TPC delegation headed by Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanakzai at Embassy of Pakistan, Doha. (Photo Pakistan Embassy Qatar)

Pakistan and its notorious intelligence agency have been accused of supporting the Taliban in taking over Afghanistan.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Friday said that Pakistan has “supported and nurtured” the Taliban that replaced the elected government.

Speaking to a group of reporters in Washington, Shringla said, “Pakistan is a neighbour of Afghanistan, they have supported and nurtured the Taliban. There are various elements that are supported by Pakistan — so its role has to be seen in that context.”

Experts believe that Pakistan has been a key player in removing the elected Afghan government from power and establishing Taliban as a decisive power in Afghanistan.

(Image source ANI)

Recently, a UN Monitoring report has said that a significant part of the leadership of Al-Qaida resides in the Afghanistan and Pakistan border region.

Almost all foreign members of ISIL-K and al-Qaida have entered Afghanistan via Pakistan and the leaders of these outfits along with those of the Taliban have been living in Pakistan, the UN report said. (ANI)

ALSO READ – Afghan women stage rally demanding inclusion in govt

ALSO READ – Taliban meet Pak officials in Doha