ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials rejected on Monday a German newspaper report that the country’s secret service spied on German security forces in Afghanistan.
Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major-General Athar Abbas said the report was not worth commenting on.
Without citing its sources, mass-selling weekly Bild am Sonntagreported on Sunday that Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency warned its interior ministry that Pakistan had spied on 180 German police officers deployed in Afghanistan to train locals.
A Pakistani foreign ministry official, who asked not to be identified, described the report as “ridiculous” and “useless”.
Bild am Sonntag said private telephone calls, messages to the German interior ministry, military mission orders and lists of police officer names had been intercepted, raising fears sensitive information could end up in the hands of the Taliban.
The German interior ministry told Reuters the BND suspected a German email had been intercepted but could not give confirmation. The ministry added it was not aware of any comprehensive interception of German police data. The BND declined to comment on the report.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2011.
COMMENTS (24)
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@You Said It: "Germany doesn’t have nuclear bums like us..." I would have thought having a "nuclear bum" would be singularly disadvantageous. Conventional "bums" are more maintainable and do their job quite well. Can't see any advantage in going nuclear.
Germans are trying to malign us because they are jealous of our strategic assets and all the natural beauty. Germany doesn't have nuclear bums like us. They don't even have any beautiful men or strong women like us. They wish they could be like us so they are spreading this rumour as an excuse to invade Pakistan and capture our bums. And they'll take away Veena Malik and Hina Khar. Then we'll have to offer Firdous Awan and Imran Khan in trade to free them.
Oh wait, I thought it was the US trying invade us, or was it Israel. Or India. Or Iran. OK now I'm confused, who is our enemy, again? It's India, no the US, no Afghanistan. It is all three.
I think there's a drone flying over my head. I think Kasab is sitting in that drone. Qadri, help me. Oi, Qadri, where are you?
@Sirat-ul-mustaqeem, @Usman Malik Sure, spies spy - that's the reason they exist. But the issue for concern in this case isn't so much that the ISI spied on the Germans, it is mainly that the info could be passed on to the Taliban. Primarily, this report is about the lack of trust due to the company that the spies keep.
@Meekal Ahmed: "If we have denied it I am sure we did it".
Isn't this unfortunate? When patriotic people such as yourself have no confidence in the establishment's integrity, what can be expected from countries with which Pakistan has had an adversarial relationship. Zardari and Kayani keep talking about bridging the trust deficit with USA but ongoing lies make that goal seem more and more difficult to achieve.
WIth India, the goal is even more difficult to achieve which is a pity for both countries since the poor people of both countries can really benefit from a peace dividend. But a lack of trust prevents that peace dividend from being harvested.
@Usman Malik: "Ummm hmmm, which spying agency doesn’t keep a check on things around? Or no Western agency is operational in Pakistan?"
So why is Pakistan denying it? Why can it not be upfront and say " Yes, we are spying because that is what our job is".
@Sirat-ul-mustaqeem, @gothmog : Well the ISI could have said what you are saying i.e. "It is our JOB to keep an eye on our neighbouring countries and that is exactly what we were doing". But it is not doing that. It is denying the fact that it was spying. When ISI denies things initially and later they are proven to be true, it damages not just ISI's credibility but that of the whole country. Something they should consider.
International conspiracy is being hatched against Pakistan to take control of of its nuclear arsenal.
If we have denied it I am sure we did it.
Our politicians are just puppets. They wont do anything.
Pakistan must create a Ministry of Denial & Obfuscation to consolidate and refute such daily news report.
ISI is this... ISI is that.... ISI is so.... ISI is there... one just wonder that 150,000 strong NATO army plus over 100,000 Afghan National Army with 100 times more defense budget than the total country budget of poor Pakistan, at least 15 of world's top most secret agencies equipped with the most sophisticated electronic and satellite surveillance systems and budgets worth billions of dollars. And if is it ISI... BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO
May be ET should consider introducing a column 'Today's Denial' like Editorial, Opinion, etc.
We shouldn't even bother denying! We should say "yea so whats your point?? We have directly suffered the consequences of war in Afghanistan for over 30 years now! Why shouldn't we keep a very close eye and ear on things there? And by the way, I'm sure your intelligence agencies are little angels like Raymond Davis who go around the world spreading love and harmony among peoples!" No intelligence agency is more involved in causing problems and bloodshed in other countries than the CIA. They should look first in the mirror before pointing fingers. This is all part of a calculated international media propaganda campaign to make Pakistan the scapegoat for NATO's loss in Afghanistan. LOLS. Whether this report is true or not, it is ISI's job to defend Pakistan's interest first and foremost. We are the ones suffering from suicide bombings and kidnappings when not a single suicide bombing had occured in Pak until 2004!! yea the CIA, Mossad, MI6, RAW etc., are all working for other countries interests eh?? Suuuuuurre! I like Athar Abbas's answer - "this is not worth commenting on!" Hats off to you sir - hahaha..
Now we know that the UK, Germany and the US are in it together to put pressure on the ISI. Now we will start hearing from some french newspaper too.
This whole thing is a joke. The Western press has no credibility. They lost it when they were shouting about the Iraqi WMD's --- One million Iraqi's have been killed since then. The blood of the Iraqi's is on the hands of the Western press.
Its necessary to keep a check on a foreign military occupying force right in your backyard.
First, deny. Then, say, some non-state actor must have done it. Then, say, some fringe elements with extremist mindset could have done it. Then, say, what nonsense, we aren't the only ones to do it. Then, say, cmon, you too have done it for a long time. Then, get some friendly parties to organize protest marches, burning flags of the country making the accusation. Now, the accusing country will be stunned and shocked into submission ! This has always worked !
Germany has maintained cordial relations with Pakistan, helped train Pakistani scientists, is an important aid donor and remains neutral in Indo-Pak issues—yet Pakistan behaves in this manner! How despicable.
Ummm hmmm, which spying agency doesn't keep a check on things around? Or no Western agency is operational in Pakistan?
Seems like a "dossier" in making with all this massive International Media assault on ISI.
And as far as spying goes, well here is a quick fact for all of you commenting here. " Every country involved in Afghanistan has a spying agency and its their job to collect the internal information" So get real and face the fact. No one is innocent in this game and everyone does this, then why is Pakistan being accused of it as we did a great sin.
From this wave of anti-ISI propaganda, anyone can realise that america is looking for a scapegoat in afghanistan. Why dont they publish the failures of US ans NATO in fighting Taliban, why dont they accept that they have failed to introduce peace in Afghanistan. Yeah keep bashing one partner who has lost more than anyone in this war on terror in which you have failed miserably in Afghanistan. Bye bye
Tit for tat I guess. Raymond was no Mother Teresa either.
haha ! more denials - like the kid caught with hand in the jar!!
Pakistani officials on Monday rejected a German newspaper report that the country’s secret service spied on German security forces in Afghanistan.
A. Pakistan denies spying in Afghanistan.
B. Pakistan denies having a spying agency in Afghanistan.
C. Pakistan denies having a spy agency.
D. Pakistan denies existence of Afghanistan.
E. Pakistan denies existence of Pakistan.
Ab accuse kar kay bataao. Now that everything has been denied what can you accuse Pakistan of? .