Pakistan's Influential Spy Agency Emerges From The Shadows

Pakistan's Influential Spy Agency Emerges From The Shadows

by Farhan Bokhari
The Financial Times
September 18, 2001

The visit yesterday by Mehmood Ahmed, head of Pakistan's ISI spy agency, to Afghanistan represented more than just a trouble-shooting initiative.

The ISI, whose senior officers are all believed to be Pakistani military, has become a central player for Islamabad in managing the crisis triggered by last week's terrorist attacks in the US.

Last night Lt Gen Mehmood was reported to be staying in Kabul, the Afghan capital, in efforts to keep pressure on the country's Taliban rulers after a day of talks. These talks led to the announcement by Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Taliban's leader, that a grand Islamic council would determine the fate of Osama bin Laden, the Saudi dissident accused of masterminding the attacks. For the hardline Taliban regime to even discuss the issue of handing over Mr bin Laden might be seen as a victory for the ISI. Diplomats and analysts were speculating last night on how much influence Gen Mehmood exerted in the process.

Like many of the world's spy agencies the ISI, or Inter-Services Intelligence, has a shadowy image.

Its exact number of employees, the scale of its budget and its mandate are secret.

The organisation's vast information gathering power, however, is no secret, having fed governments critical details on the surrounding region - from Kashmir, the Himalayan territory at the centre of a dispute with India, to Afghanistan and central Asia.

It is not surprising that successive governments have moved quickly to handpick new ISI chiefs, making them among their first key appointments. Among Pakistan's military elite, Gen Mehmood is one of the closest to General Pervez Musharraf, the military ruler.

Gen Mehmood's presence in the US last week, when the terrorist attacks took place, may have been a blessing for Gen Musharraf. It "must have helped in a crisis situation when the US was clearly very, very angry," said a western diplomat.

The ISI became particularly powerful under Gen Zia ul Haq, Pakistan's late military ruler. The agency became the main architect of the US-supported Afghan resistance to occupying Soviet forces, channelling in billions of dollars worth of military hardware and economic assistance.

In later years, after Pakistan's return to democracy in 1988, the ISI's tasks changed, with greater responsibility for managing political affairs. Analysts note the agency played a key role in strengthening the military's hand, which, once formally out of power, found itself trying to influ-ence governments from the sidelines.

Some politicians also believe the ISI played a big hand in encouraging dissent within the ruling political parties.

While the agency has not been directing arms to Afghan fighters for years, it has continued to use its influence in Afghanistan, where it is believed to have the best spy network among all agencies active in the region.

Among Washington's priorities in pulling together an international coalition is the need to secure the best possible intelligence on Afghanistan, an area where the ISI could have a valuable role, Pakistani officials believe.

"The US looks into a black hole when it comes to the question of Afghanistan, and it would need good intelligence information to carry out its operations," a retired ISI official said.

But others warn it is too early to say whether the ISI would emerge stronger in a new Pakistan-US coalition. It may be pushed to cut all ties with Islamic insurgent groups waging a jihad or "holy war" in countries surrounding Pakistan - ties once seen as a source of strength.

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