Enter new ISI chief
Not only does it put to rest disruptive speculations and mischievous rumours that so often swirl around such appointments, it also allows time for both the incumbent and his successor to work together to ensure a smooth transition. And a smooth transition in such a pivotal office — and one so dissimilar from any other posting that simply relying on experience alone does not help — is paramount. The post Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar is set to take over demands a range of expertise, and the ISI chief-designate has a packed resume. Having recently spearheaded the politically-sensitive Karachi Operation as the DG of the Sindh Rangers, he has also commanded troops in the rugged and unforgiving terrain of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. However, make no mistake: while he seems to possess the skills necessary for the job, DG ISI will be an entirely different challenge — one that has tested the resolve and character of the best.
However, the most interesting bit of information that has come to the fore about the new DG is his diplomatic skills and tilt. It is being reported that, when at the US Army War College Lt Gen Akhtar wrote a paper back in 2008 advocating that Pakistan “must aggressively pursue rapprochement with India”. How far he will continue to hold this view, let alone pursue it, is anyone’s guess — but it is good to know that the man occupying such an important post cannot be charged with being unnecessarily hostile towards, or sceptical of, Pakistan’s archrival. Distancing his institution from the current political mess (whether the involvement is real or perceived) and ensuring water-tight country-wide intelligence monitoring over backlash from Zarb-e-Azb will be the two files he needs to open first.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 24th, 2014.
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"...must aggressively pursue rapprochement with India". We shall know soon enough.
Gen Rizwan is assuming this important responsibility at a very critical time. The current security situation blends internal as well as external challenges. Internal being very critical suggest a courageous and out of box thinking leadership. We need a leader who can see issues clearly with no personal bias. Ever security challenge will need a historic understanding. According a response has to be forged. The general may have to come out of conventional approach to view security. In this context, analysis refereed in your editorial suggests an educated and courageous personality of the incoming Director general.
Much will depend on the present government. It has to come out of mediocrity. There is a need for the government to introduce merit in its fold, particularly ministers handling strategic issues. There has to be no venom and a fresh start needs to be taken.
General Rizwan will have to be very careful in selecting his team. He needs to be assisted by very able and educated people. The place he is occupying does not need emotions but hard analysis. The national policies are always fact based. For human ambitions sky is a limit, it is only a civilized and educated mind which can differentiate between farce and reality. He will have to introduce a concept of study groups to discuss issues and keep involving political leadership more intensely.
I fully appreciate his views about democracy, relations with India and other issues. India has reached MARS and we lost half of our country. The general needs a dispassionate analysis for the situation we are in. I will say it is all incompetence, absence of merit, corruption and national ambitions not matching economic power. Let us not over stretch, let us go for a concept of soft security and that through great diplomacy assisted by competent intelligence. Our main effort must be to clean from inside and assess sustainability of our strategic postures.
Best of luck General Rizwan!!!
You mean no more bicycle riding? No more skateboarding? No more swimming in the ocean?