USA-ISI relationship and International media

It is my idea that International media has begun a concentrated effort to belittle Pakistan's premier Intelligence Agency, ISI and its uniformed men. It is very clear from reports emanating from abroad and even local newspapers that USA and India are really concerned about the absolute power of ISI in the country. It is believed by almost everyone including artists, commentators, ambassadors and blog writers that ISI is the last standing force between total annihilation of the country by USA and its military / political setup.

I am no fan of ISI for it is blamed for every disappearance in the country. No other intelligence agency gets so much media attention as does ISI. RAW, CIA and FBI must be very jealous. But ISI has a duty towards this country and its people. Therefore, any agency, whether military or civilian, is a danger to USA geopolitics in our troubled region if it works for its own people. (USA supports only those groups and / or agencies which are most hated by local population).

Now, USA problem.

Recently, as USA intensifies its attacks on Pakistani soil it wants to clear things up. By which it means that it wants a thoroughly rigged ISI, an agency which is good for nothing and which toes the line of American way of Life (sic). And to do that Zardari must be showed the way. A recent try was made to bring ISI under civilian control. Within hours decision was reverted. Had it not been, an imminent coup could have taken place isolating Pakistan further in International community. And USA was embarrassed to such an extent that it regularly sends its men with arms with thick reports 'proving' that ISI is in fact behind every problem in Afghanistan.

It means two things to me. One, that USA now wants to open a clear front of war in FATA region of Pakistan. That has to be done to please American voters and show them some progress in war on terror (sic). It is very clear to all of us that Americans have badly failed in Afghanistan. Locals want them out and even NATO is embarrassed by its recent unilateral attacks inside Pakistan. Therefore, killing innocent men and women and kids inside Pakistan and labelling them hardcore terrorists is the only option. With ISI monitoring every American move, that looks not only inefficient but out of sync.

Secondly, I think that Americans want to declare Pakistani nukes unsafe and get the blame on ISI. This will allow them good enough reason to force Pakistan to dismantle this agency. Once that is announced (dismantling) chaos will ensue. Many of ISI men with 20-year old links within Mujahedeen, will spread among their former comrades and launch attacks against Americans and NATO forces openly. This will be the final reason for Americans to invade the entire FATA region including probably Baluchistan and parts of Pakistani side of Kashmir. Rest, as they say, would resemble much of what Afghanistan is today.

This is a standard practice of Americans. They first mark the agency which is a potential threat to their global aims. Then they set out their paid editors / writers across the globe and print articles which are biased. A global advertisement movement is launched to destabilize that organization and to belittle it in front of their own countrymen. Same technique seems to be underway for ISI.

I will blame ISI for their bad market reputation.

Firstly, on the instructions of Musharraf, ISI gathered and sold hundreds of Pakistanis to Americans. They earned billions, as Musharraf himself claimed in the first edition of his autobiography. Secondly, many Baluch and Sindhi nationalists were rounded and put behind bars. Some of them are still lying and their near ones have no clue about them. This case of disappearance of hundreds of ordinary Pakistanis was a major reason why CJ Iftikhar was removed from his post by Musharraf.

Thirdly, ISI has been responsible for helping out Mujaheddin in Indian occupied Kashmir. When Musharraf suddenly ordered his troops to shut down LOC for any traffic these fighters were left with no job. So they turned nasty inside the country. First they targeted Shia men of status and then they turned towards anyone who was engaging with western lifestyle (restaurants, hotels, games, etc.). In a later and a more devastating stage, these holy fighters (sic) turned their rage towards Pakistan Army (Lal Masjid was the key moment). And since then we've seen hundreds of men and women blown up to pieces in horrible suicide bombings. High security zones like FIA Center in Lahore and Wah Ordinance Factory were mercilessly targeted. Surely, USA was (and is) enjoying the turn of events.

Now, as Americans intensify their targeting of ISI more and more capable men are leaving the agency. When Musharraf came on the scene some senior men were either asked to vacate ISI (from orders of USA / Pentagon Think Tank) or were kicked out. That policy was not feasible for men belonging to second tier of ISI. This is because you don't know internally who supports Mujaheddin so how would you decide whom to kick out. In case of top tier men, Musharraf knew exactly who was with Mujaheddin all these years (commencing during Zia time) so he was able to retire those men and bring along his friends to the post (one good reason why some army personal wanted to blow him up while he was travelling in Rawalpindi).

It appears that only using negative propaganda against ISI won't work. So probably next step which Americans are likely to take is that they will step up their efforts and infiltrate ISI ranks using millions of dollars. Maybe ISI will survive this latest onslaught. That all depends on how Mr. Kiyani, Army Chief, holds his men.

Pakistan Army’s Repression of the Punjab Farmers’ Movement

I was reading HRW report on Pakistan Rangers abusive attitude and torture of farmers there. It is really sad to note that our so-called mohafiz are doing this to our men and women. Excerpts from the report are produced below. Detailed reading may be done here.

From the report:

'Torture, beatings, kidnappings, and arbitrary arrests of tenant farmers and their families became increasingly commonplace between May 11, 2003 and June 12, 2003, when the Rangers mounted its second siege on parts of Okara district. While the abuses are ongoing, most of the violations identified in this report are from the period of the siege. '

Further a case of Bashir Ahmed is presented:

Bashir Ahmed

'On January 7, 2002, Colonel Mohammad Ali, the commanding officer at Renala Estate Military Farm, personally led a contingent of some thirty to forty armed men on a mission to confiscate land cultivated by the elderly farmer Mohammad Ali Kumboh, resident of Village 21/1-RB. According to witnesses, fewer than ten of the armed men were serving army soldiers and the rest were private thugs. Two farm employees told Human Rights Watch that it was common knowledge that Colonel Mohammad Ali personally ordered the confiscation “at any cost” as he viewed the Kumboh land as a test case that would set the right precedent in the village: Kumboh had refused to sign the new contract.

'Initially, Kumboh’s family alone—Kumboh, his brother Aslam, Aslam’s wife Aziza Begum, and their twenty-one-year-old son Ejaz—offered resistance. Kumboh, Aslam, and Ejaz were beaten, overpowered, and tied up by Colonel Ali and his contingent. Colonel Ali and his armed group then apparently set the family dairy and the grain depot on fire. At this point, Aslam’s three teenage daughters, Zahida, Shahida, and Nazia, emerged from the house armed with sticks and tried to free their family. The women were severely beaten by Colonel Ali’s men, who also began firing in the air.

'It was the fires, the gunshots, and the screams of the women that finally attracted the attention of the rest of the village. Nadeem Ashraf described the scene to Human Rights Watch:

'We heard firing and went to see. Bashir, who lived in the neighboring village also came with us. The women from the village came armed with sticks as did the men. We went and untied Ejaz. In the rush, I heard Colonel Ali shout the order to start firing. Instead of firing in the air, the army officers then started firing at us. Ejaz, Bashir Sidiq, and Hameed sustained bullet wounds. The colonel’s men then retreated while firing in the air.²²

'Bashir Ahmed died on January 9, 2002, two days after the attack. He was twenty-one years old'.

More cases may be read here.