Farrukh Khan Pitafi's Official Website

A couple of days ago Islamabad witnessed a mini coup. Yes everyone is talking of the star crossed notification to place the directorate of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) under the interior ministry which was apparently reversed a couple of days ago. Since I have a clear view on these matters I want to express them again here. But let me make a subtle point first. I have long been arguing that the only way to develop coherence and synergy among the intelligence agencies is to place them under one leader. (See my published column and blog post Making sense of Pakistani Intelligence Chief change ). If you read my quite old columns you may notice that I had even repeatedly argued in favor of stripping the then US Director of Central Intelligence of the ex-officio title of the head of agencies other than the CIA. This happened even though the first person appointed for the post of the Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte was not to anyone sane’s taste. But the CIA’s capacity to manipulate other agencies was almost compromised. Now what was the ideal arrangement for the change in Pakistani intelligence? To create the post either of the Director of Federal Intelligence or the National Security Advisor. The latter was recently created but no use. The wrong person got the post. Lt Gen (retired) Mahmud Durrani was appointed the National Security Advisor. In my opinionated view he is the wrong choice. The right choice would have been someone who knows the army inside out but has never abused his post. Two men come into my mind. Lt Gen (retired) Asad Durrani or Lt Gen (retired) Talat Masood. These men are best suited for the post and also to oversee the leadership of the Pakistani intelligence community).
Now regarding the news to place the ISI and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) under the interior ministry I have this to say. While the latter does have the charge of the internal intelligence the former can hardly be placed under the interior ministry. For one its name is Inter Services Intelligence and hence should be dedicated to such matters preferably. That means if there is one ministry which has its rightful claim it is the Defense Ministry. But that does not mean that it can simultaneously not be reporting to the PM or the NSA. It certainly can.
And now a word on Rehman Malik. Today perhaps he is the most unpopular man among the masses. His failure in saving in Benazir Bhutto will keep him unpopular with the PPP workers. The web of conspiracy woven against him regarding his implication in BB murder case will keep him a loathsome figure. He is unpopular with the PML-N because he is thought to be the man responsible for Nawaz Sharif’s election blues. The ANP also dislikes him for he is considered the man responsible for the unsolicited operations in NWFP and FATA. The Army and the defense establishment has been skeptical of him because he allegedly had links with the MOSSAD and the RAW during the last Bhutto ministry. And then the Interior Ministry is the such a big bureacracy that the interior minister can hardly do justice to this additional chore. Or else let there be a Cabinet Committee on Intelligence.