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President Asif Ali Zardar |
WASHINGTON – The Pakistani government of President Asif Ali Zardari has signaled that it no longer has control over the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate, suggesting that it acts independently and even in conflict with the civilian government, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
Pakistani Chief of the Army Staff Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has served notice to the Pakistani Supreme Court that the military will assert its role on national security even if it's not in agreement with the policies of the civilian-led government of Zardari, who is considered a weak chief executive.
This admission, made to the high court without prior clearance from Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani, at a minimum shows the army will act independently of the elected government.
But it also suggests that the army is on the verge of taking over the reins of government. In recent days, Gilani, who has rejected the army's independence in national security matters from that of the government decision-making, has gone so far as to claim that there is a conspiracy against the government by the army.
In spite of the army's recent moves, Kayani for his part denies any speculation of a military takeover.
The ISI knowingly harbored and protected al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden over the years even though the civilian government may not have been aware of this activity.
This recently was confirmed by former Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Ziauddin Butt, who claims that it was done with the knowledge of former President Pervez Musharraf, a general in the army, then Intelligence Bureau Gen. Ijaz Shah and Kiyani, the current chief of the army staff.
Under the aegis of the ISI and the Pakistani army, various terrorist groups have been created, such as the Afghan Taliban, whose members are killing U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan.
The Islamist terrorist groups act as a proxy for the Pakistani military which regards Hindu-led India as its main enemy.
Earlier this year, a memorandum was passed by then-Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. Hussain Haqqani to Adm. Mike Mullen, former U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, warning of the possibility of a military coup following the U.S. raid on May 2 in Abbottabad that killed bin Laden.
For the rest of this report and other Intelligence Briefs, please go to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin:
- Lebanon: Al-Qaida increasing presence, smuggling arms into Syria
- Maghreb: Al-Qaida on the move
- China/United States: Analysts see potential for conflict
- Saudi Arabia: Raising the nuclear prospect – again
- India/United States: Trillion dollar investment?
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