Amicable settlement

he whirl of theories and ensuing uncertainty came to an end as a formal notification for the appointment of next spymaster was issued on Tuesday. Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum is the new Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and he will assume his office on November 20. His name was duly recommended by the army command, and was approved by the Prime Minister in line with his constitutional discretion.

This has put to rest rumours of a civil-military deadlock, and once again brought to fore the fundamental that business of state reigns supreme over petty considerations. The last two weeks since the General Headquarters announced their routine transfers and postings of officers saw a lot of jumping over the gun. Speculative stories were all abound as the government had sought a pause in naming the new ISI chief. Prime Minister Imran Khan was of the considerate opinion that the sitting spymaster, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, should continue for some more time.

He had valid geostrategic reasons behind it, as the incumbent DG ISI was proactively dealing with the regional situation in the wake of a change of guard in Afghanistan. While the narrative was in national interest, the prime minister and the Army Chief, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, huddled together and the timeline of change was sorted out amicably. Pakistan is at a crossroads of great upheavals in the region. The withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and the mayhem unleashed in Kashmir by New Delhi has posed new challenges.

This is why the focus should be on maximising the security paradigm, and ensuring that national interests are safeguarded. Thus, the way to go should be to forge unity at all levels of national life, and civil-military coordination is a prime prerequisite. It is a good sign that the impasse on an important security office has been addressed in a collective manner, and voices across the political divide stood firm and supportive over this brief indecisive phase.

The prime minister, meanwhile, has also set a precedent by vetting the officers’ credentials recommended by the army, ushering in a new leaf of civil supremacy