“The time has come for America to take the lead in shutting down the political and financial support that sustains an organ of the Pakistani state that undermines global antiterrorism efforts at every turn. Measures such as stopping aid to Pakistan, as a bill now moving through Congress aims to do, are not the solution. More precise policies are needed to remove the cancer that the ISI and its rogue wings have become on the Pakistani state.
“Pakistanis are not America’s enemies. Neither is their incompetent and toothless civilian government — the one Admiral Mullen was asked to help that May morning. The enemy is a state organ that breeds hatred among Pakistan’s Islamist masses and then uses their thirst for jihad against Pakistan’s neighbours and allies to sate its hunger for power. Taking steps to reduce its influence over Pakistan’s state affairs is a critical measure of the world’s willingness to stop the terror masters at their very roots.”
And, after a several-hours meeting described in great detail by a calculated leak telling us how Pasha was by turn ‘surprised’ and ‘shocked’, at what Mansoor Ijaz was telling him about the Murky Memo, he flew straight back to Pakistan to report to the COAS who, in turn, hot-footed it to the Presidency to vent at President Asif Zardari, not once but twice in two days.
The rest of the events we know well by now. Husain Haqqani was pulled before a ‘board of inquiry’ comprising: COAS; DG ISI; the president; and PM, and then unceremoniously pushed aside, the PM’s office making sure that it was known that he had been asked to resign rather than merely say his resignation had been accepted, thereby keeping up an old Pakistan government tradition of utter inelegance and gracelessness. (The last time I saw this was in 1996, when Leghari stabbed the much-missed, much-lamented Benazir Bhutto in the back and dismissed her government. Wajid Shamsul Hassan, then High Commissioner in London, was in Pakistan at the time and was thrown in jail despite the sterling work he had done as Pakistan’s envoy in the UK).
But back to the present: In Haqqani’s place has been appointed Sherry Rehman, till lately the president of the Islamabad-based think tank, Jinnah Institute, the latest production of which was the quite disgraceful Report on the Endgame in Afghanistan in partnership with the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) in Washington DC. A report that is a shameless re-hash of the Deep State’s deep yearnings in Afghanistan.
Wait, though. The Deep State was/is an aggrieved party in the matter of the Murky Memo; so how come one of the leaders of the Deep State, let us not be afraid to name him: the DG ISI, took it upon himself to be the Chief Investigator? How, possibly, can someone with a vested interest in a case, investigate the case him or herself? Surely we have many eminent people in Pakistan with deep knowledge of criminal investigation, both serving police officers, and retired. Say, a two-man board comprised of Mr Afzal Shigri, a man with an impeccable service record and Shoaib Suddle, PhD (criminology), as straightforward a man as ever there was?
More fundamentally, did the ISI chief ask the government’s permission to travel abroad to investigate charges against a high official of self-same government, laid at his door by a man who published the most vile and explosive allegations about the ISI itself? Could one ask too, that if Mansoor Ijaz’s story about the Murky Memo was swallowed hook, line, and sinker by the Deep State and its high officials as the truth and nothing but the truth, that his take on the ISI being the “scourge of radicalism” and a “cancer” and its S-Wing a “sponsor of terrorism” should also be taken as the truth and nothing but the truth?
Or is it the case that The Boys are irreproachable; that theirs is the final wisdom; that they will believe what they want to believe and disbelieve what they want to disbelieve, the truth be damned; that they are the final arbiters of everything that goes on in the Land of the Pure, no questions asked; that they are the inheritors of the country and all of us who sail in it?
Must surely be the case, for, just look back at Abottabadgate, when three or four or ten — who knows? — American aircraft entered Pakistan, some of them flying to Abbottabad, the SEALs aboard the helicopters killing Osama bin Laden and then flying out again taking his body with them. Not one head rolled; not one honourable man resigned. Instead our perpetually petulant Rommels and Guderians growled at the quaking ‘bloody civilians’ and demanded and GOT support from a joint session of parliament. As an aside the most ludicrous in all of this matter was the cover-up: We were not complicit, sirs, we were inept; we were incompetent. And this from the ISI which considers itself second to none. And, yet, no head rolled, no honourable man resigned?
Many are the times when one finds the Deep State in trouble and one’s heart goes out to the people who command it. Such as at the time of Raymond Davis’ release. But the very moment you express the wish to help out, their arrogance takes over: when they stupidly get their hand maidens in the press to bad-mouth the elected government for little reason.
There is much stink. Not merely a bad smell.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2011.
COMMENTS (41)
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Pakistan is a country of the Army, by the Army, for the Army.
Apologies, Mr. Shafi: due to illness I won't be able to meet you today.
They have reach the para of peoples to that level soon they will get big jootay.
You are an absolute hero...by God you have courage to say the truth as it is...and understandably the marked man...
Shafisahab, It is this (non)-issue of Kashmir that has helped "Deep State", ISI & all its rogue sections to retain their importance & act pompously as if they are the saviours of Pakistan. Actually, they have yet to win a single war & have caused Pakistan's steady deterioration in every field. I think Pakistanis should free themselves of this poisonous issue (created by UK in their own interests as the then Imperial Power) that has caused all the problems between us. Hopefully Kashmir will become a non-issue in near future!
True and brave.But is our Urdu press ready to to publish it.I suggest it to be translated and circulated in public in a pamphlet form.This is the the time to make a public movement to contain the teeth and and tentacles of armed forces.It must be told to the people that heroes of 1948,Gibralter.Runn of Kutch,Bengladesh,Bluchistan,Afghanistan,Kargill and Abbotabad gate are the one who are the real traiters.
Amusing how Kamran Shafi has taken jibes at all and nilly, but failed to underscore the allegation by Haqqani himself, that it was Zardari who initiated the memo. While we vent at the armed forces attitude toward the 'bloody civilians', whom they apparently cannot seem to trust with any major national matter, one must take a look at the civilians in question and realise that you could hardly blame the army for thinking that way.
@Londoner: Every man is an amalgam of right and wrong. WSH got the Labour Party, the then party-in-waiting, to acknowledge that there was an issue in Kashmir, and to pledge that it would help in resolving the matter peacefully according to the UN Resolutions (since the matter was of the UK's own making being the 'Imperial Power' at the time of Partition). This was the very first time in decades that a member of the UN Security Council said so in so many words.
Bravo to you Janab for writing this bold peiece
I repeat with respect what has been said "I wonder how many in Pakistan have courage and valor to write something like this and that so persistently. God be with you…" I always wonder why there is no mechanism to print such thought provoking articles in local Urdu media as English is not understood by 90% of Pakistan. And I also ponder how come in spite of all their misdeeds the military dictators and the boys have such a huge support base. Read, such large number of comments are in their support.
Frustration sometimes serves a purpose of good comic relief for the onlookers. This is no exception.
Excellent piece!
@Billy:
Yes, indeed may God be with Mickey. They have already fired into his house.
Stay safe, Mickey.
Brilliant Article Shafisaab!
You are one good reason to wake up on a Friday and loot at ET Webpage!
May God keep you safe!
Great article. Kamran Shafi is one of that rare breed who never get affected by propaganda and able to see through the dirty games that are constantly played in this country. We, the pakistanis have shown ourselves as a nation that always refuse to learn and have an unlimited capacity to tolerate and even believe in the nonsense and lies (or half-truths) that are handed down to us on daily basis. Hussein Haqqani will be lucky to escape in one piece from this crisis. After all he was an appointee of a corrupt and inept civilian government. So he has to face the consequences. GOD have mercy on us.
As a regular subscriber of online edition of Financial Times, I recall rearding the mentioned piece by Mansoor Ijaz and couldn't believe someone of Pakistan origin could dare to write such stinging stuff about Pak military. While i moved on in revulsion i couldn't imagine this would lead to this memogate scandal after few months. Now it appears the whole thing was orchestrated with a clear objective. While the whole epsidoe appears pretty sordid, one thing is clear, none of the stakeholders in this story deserve any public sympathy. neither civies nor deep state
When will we get tired of conspiracy theories?
@Disco: You said it like it is! Thanks a lot for the truth. Abut the author, I have no words engough for praise and thanks. Regards, Mirza
Only one way forward for Pakistan: Supremacy of parliament, judiciary, and civilian executive branch - in tandem with strict accountability and brutal transparency of the Army that has lorded over us like a colonial power for more than a generation.
I truly salute Mr kamran for this bold and honest write up. keep doing this good work Kamran.
Honestly, what Mansoor Ijaz has been writing in the Op-eds was making a lot of sense. He seems to be a man of wisdom and credibility as he has access to the highest levels in USA as well as in other countries. I think his version of the story should be taken seriously.
I wonder how many in Pakistan have courage and valor to write something like this and that so persistently. God be with you…
a great piece of writing this was.
Thanks Kamran Sb for wirting such a very well-written and much-needed article !
An article bravely written exposing the harsh facts of our society !!! The writer deserves a huge applause !!
Oh yeah! OBL was found in Pakistan, yet not one head rolled, nobody even offered to resign! Yet, this guy had to. How shameful.
Kamran Shafi Sahib,
I agree with some of the points you make but can you please enlighten me as to what stunning work Wajid Shamsul Hasan has done as envoy? He may be a PPP loyalist and it is admirable to go to jail for your beliefs but he is a pathetic ambassador. Probably one of the worst I have seen at the Pakistan High Commission in my long time in London. Most recently, he had a tiff with college students because they held a function in which Farooq Naek was grilled---basically I find him a petty and inarticulate man.
@ Syed Ali, Generals, Journalist & Bureaucrats are also foreign nationals .When an Institution would serve this country for 40 years , it will only come up with its own DHA's, CLUBS, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS but at different rates for normal civilians ????????? Isn't that discrimination , if thats gonna happen, why wouldn't the others apply for other nationalities where everyone is equal citizen..... There are also good Politicians also, put them behind bars , vote them out. How many generals did we hang , What is the source of Income, of Aslam Baig, Hamid Gul , how did Ejaz ul Haq alone made his own party , whats his source of Income.?? What about Humayu & Haroon Akther brothers , sons of general who own, pepsi, sugar mills ??? Where did Mush got money from to get US lobbyist??? How did Army did good Governance , by giving us Mehran Base Attack & May 2. Why are we then only believing Memos , what about wikileaks of kiyani asking more drone attacks, Pasha meeting Israeel???????? can we have an inquiry on that too .
@Javaid R. Shami: Arrogant Power Elite despise civilians and does not care what is in public interest as it cares for institutional survival. Incompetent civilian leadrship is paranoid of army and dare not ask murky questions whose answers are in public knowledge. Only a future historian will be able to dig out the facts or Mansoor Ijaz may come out (if Pakistanis are lucky) with a Best Seller revealing the details of 'hotel room deal and details' which will be vehemently denied by the power brokers and their cohorts in media.
Army here, ISI there, KHAKI everywhere.
Entire country in its service To satisfy its avarice
Our lament When will they relent Not now But we shall not bow
Thanks, Mickey. Now on to the next question: Why did Mansoor Ijaz so willingly hand over the "incriminating evidence" against the civilian government to the DG of the institution he so loves to hate? What kind of deal was struck in that hotel room in London and at whose expense?
The ISI is judge, jury and executioner. If you say otherwise you are a traitor. After all the COAS who called for additional drone strikes and under whose watch Pakistan's sovereignty was violated by foreign fighter's taking shelter in the West and by the US raid in May, has rewarded himself an extension. The memo is sheer speculation, and HH is fired, what of those whose job it is day in and day out to protect Pakistan? They apparently dont have the ISI come and judge them. And while we are at it, since the DG ISI has the time to fly to London and meet a US citizen of dubious character who publicly slandered the same organization that he represents, perhaps he can take the time to meet and offer explanation to the families of all those people who have "disappeared" over the years.
our muddled headed deep state is incompetent , arrogant and out of sync with the realities of the real world......they will till the D day loathe india israel and will keep their "strategic depth" naiveties close to their hearts and will keep on making nukes as they proudly call them ,to celebrate "shab e barat" someday because it is all about there existence and survival
....and so this too shall pass.
Sir,
I solute your courage for honestly writing down these harsh truths and naming the real cause of damage. Having said that I don't think that our deep state will ever think about it and will ever make themselves accountable for all the misdeeds and the misadventures that they've carried out. Let's pray that a day will come of true liberty and independence!!