No political cell operating in ISI since 2008: Report
Speaking at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Malik dispelled all rumours of any operative political cell within the intelligence agency since the past five years.
Malik added that drone attacks by the US were carried out from Shamsi airbase while it was still functioning. These drone attacks were carried out under the government’s approval, he said.
The defence secretary also presented details of the budget before the Standing Committee. Regular audits were conducted in all defense related sectors, Malik said.
He told the committee that the defense budget for the current fiscal year was Rs 545 billion — out of which, Rs 264 billion had been allocated to the Army, Rs 114 billion to the air force, Rs 52 billion to the Navy and Rs 92 billion to the ISI, the joint staff headquarter, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and defence production.
He added that the United States had paid Pakistan Rs 12 billion since 9/11 and that it had not made any payments to Pakistan over its use of Shamsi airbase.
‘Parliamentary oversight of defence spending is must’
Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said on Monday that parliamentary oversight of the defence spending is must to ensure good governance and transparency.
Briefing the media on the defence budget with the view to remove misperceptions, Senator Mushahid informed that a comparative analysis was placed before the committee during the meeting.
He said that the committee underlined the need for more transparency in the budget being spent on defence of the country.
He stated that Pakistan stands at 33rd position as far as defence expenditure is concerned, adding that it is now 2.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
He added that the Senate Defence Committee has decided to revisit the defence paradigm and would prepare a defence policy strategy document after having input from all the stake holders.
He also sought view point of the ministry of defence in this regard so that a comprehensive document could be floated.
Correction: An earlier headline of this article was grammatically incorrect. The error has been fixed.
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@Sexton Blake: Pakistan's defence budget is less than 1% of USA's defence budget. it maintains forces to maintain a defensive balance with India which has a defence budget of US$36 bn. They have an ambitious armed forces development program and their defence preparations are Pakistan specific. India is maintaining four armoured divisions, a number of armoured brigades and mechanized forces, which have no role against China. One of the US think tanks had concluded in the mid-nineties, "Enmity between India and Pakistan is fundamental as each serves as a limiting factor on other's aspirations". Muslims ruled over India for over 1000 years, a historical fact which the present Indians, somehow, find difficult to reconcile. So for us its a compulsion to maintain a certain number of conventional forces.
On the other hand, USA has no such threat. It spends over US$ 600 bn on defence to maintain her hegemony over the world. May be for them it is a compulsion as having population less than 5% of the world, USA today consumes about 25% of world energy resources and wants to maintain that position. So there is a difference not only in figures but the motive also.
If USA, somehow, stops eyeing on the resources of other nations, I am sure we would be much better off and won't require any financial support from USA.
Dear Tahir Ali You came up with some interesting statistics on defence budgets. I agree that the Pakistan defence budget is low compared to the US. However, I still think it is quite dreadful that countries around the world waste so much money on worthless military hardware that is almost never required. For example military jet aircraft. No well equipped country has ever gone to war against an equivalent force with them. They usually pick on third world countries, or in the case of Pakistan bomb defenceless children. If the US alone spent its $600 billion defence budget on good works it could, for example, pay every Pakistani about 316,000 rupees per year. I know this is unrealistic, but it does give some indication of the enormous waste of taxpayers money around the world.
Where does this money go except pay tuyere are harly any funds, in 10000s, which a unit gets? How much for equipment?
PPP is responsible for a lot of present ills of this country. They established the ISI Political Cell during ZAB's tenure. The Taliban were launched during BB's first tenure. Some PPP stalwarts also revived money in the 90's. So how can they go around wearing halos and pretending to be angels, especially the products of the accursed NRO.
@Imran: Does not means that it did not happen.
he is smiling,doesn't that men anything?
ISI is one of the best institutions of Pakistan and needs to be given due respect.
Its not fair to criticize an organization which tirelessly works to protect our country.
@Armed forces lover: Absert people with absert comments. They dont know that the polotical was first established by ZA Bhutto in 1973.
Supreme Court asked the same question, after a lawyer on ISI's payroll floated this random idea. Problem was that ISI was unable to reproduce the alleged memo. Bottom line, you can say anything, but proving it in the court of law is a different thing.
Rs 52 billion for the entire Navy and Rs 92 billion for the ISI. That's why Pasha is billionaire now. He was staying at a 1000 pound a night suite, when he went to see Mansoor Ijaz.
The statement on drones being referred to Secretary Defence is totally false. Pakistan has always been against drone attacks and will not support any such activity from Pakistan. Government of Pakistan never showed any consent for holding such activity. The Defence Secretary is being misquoted. Government of Pakistan can never accord an approval for drone operations from its territory.
@Armed forces lover:
Actually no it was not: as it was also revealed in Asghar Khan case that the political cell within the ISI started working in 1964 right before elections of 1965. Bhutto came to power in 1972.
Not to be a grammar troll but I'd expect Tribune to know the for and since rule!
The smile in the picture has cost us a lot. terrorism, illiteracy, dictatorship, and underdevelopment are some of the prices that we pay for these smiles on the faces of the generals.
Weren't their previous denials of the existence of the ISI political "cell" completely? Which means "its been 5 years since we thought we thought we could get away with it or that anyone is 'officially' aware of."
What kind of English is that "since 5 years". It should read " for 5 years".
Since 5 years or "for 5 years"?
It seems to be a pack of lies to say that no political cell exists in ISI. If that's the case then which cell controls the all on-going saga in Balochistan, what renders C.M Balochistan say security forces are beyond his control and who doesn't allow the genuine leadership to emerge?
So, ISI is admitting they had a political cell 5 years agao.
Absert people with absert comments. They dont know that the polotical was first established by ZA Bhutto in 1973. And from then it is still running. it is close therefore the current corrupt government is still sucking blood of Pakistani nation. Otherwise they should be over thrown by those great people, if political cell would there.
In my view there is little difference between the terms Political Cell and Political Leanings. I am absolutely certain that there is no Intelligence Agency in the world that is not influenced by politics, and I am even more certain that the senior staff of Intelligence Agencies derive their position due to political influence of one kind or another, and of course knowing the right person.
ISI need that money for keeping an eye on every Pakistani and every Indian 180,000,000+1,210,000,000 and I think ISI generate most of funds itself, by smuggling, land grabbing, selling drugs and like CIA by illegal human trade, but every secret service of the world RAW, MOSAD, MI6 etc., follow no ethics, no law. The biggest reason why world has the problem of narcotics, illegal human trade and smuggling is that every country protects her secret service.
wow - look at the 545b rs smile!!!!
and everybody knows that pigs can fly
Two years ago, if one sugested drones were taking off from Shamsi, you were a traitor defaming Pakistan. Now Lt Gen rtd saab states the obvious and its hailed as openness! What a sham!
Your headline is ungrammatical: There is a difference in the use of ' For'' and. 'Since'. It should be ' NO POLITICAL CELL OPERATING IN ISI FOR PAST FIVE YEARS or ...' SINCE 2008.
92 billion for ISI............Cool Education???????? Health??????????
oh
He told the committee that the defense budget for the current fiscal year was Rs 545 billion I wonder what is the education budget and where is all this money coming from? Nobody in Pakistan wants to pay tax.
When it comes to government-and that includes Armed Forces as well-nothing is true until it is officially denied! Q. E. D.
So all those agency operatives meeting politicians and harassing journalists don't have an office to go back to at the end of the day?
Perhaps the more relevant question is who was responsible for establishing and maintaining this organization and why are they not sitting in jail? 5 years isn't that long ago and there should be plenty of active members of the ISI that should/could be held accountable.