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Amid criticism: Afghan spy agency says MoU with ISI embryonic

The MoU with Pakistan will only be legalised after passing through five phases, says Afghan spy agency

Tahir Khan May 25, 2015

The MoU with Pakistan will only be legalised after passing through five phases, says Afghan spy agency. PHOTO: REUTERS

ISLAMABAD:

Giving in to mounting pressure on the administration of President Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan’s top spy agency said on Sunday that an intelligence-sharing deal with Pakistan has not been finalised yet.

Former president Hamid Karzai, known for his anti-Pakistan views, joined the chorus of criticism against the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Karzai, who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday during a stopover while en route to China, advised President Ghani to bin the MoU and “avoid agreements against the national interests”. Senior former militant leaders, including Abdul Rab Rasool Sayyaf and representatives of Hizb-e-Islami’s splinter group, are also putting pressure on the government to scrap the agreement.

In this backdrop, the NDS issued a statement on Sunday to cool down the frayed tempers. “The MoU with Pakistan will only be legalised after passing through five phases,” it said. “The president will specify framework, powers and limits of the agreement.”

“Experts at the concerned government organs [NDS, foreign ministry, national security adviser and chief executive officer’s office who directly report to the president] review contents of the draft,” the NDS said. The National Security Council will have exclusive discussion on the MoU.

Political, militant leaders and elected representatives will review the agreement to evolve a national consensus and that the draft will formally be handed over to Pakistan. “The NDS is determined to keep Afghanistan’s national interests in mind before finalising any deal with intelligence agencies of other countries,” the spy agency said.

Afghan officials say the MoU was signed during the recent visit of the ISI Chief Lt-Gen Rizwan Akhtar to Kabul. The presidential palace and the NDS spokesman had defended the agreement, calling it a part of the growing bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in various fields.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (3)

افغان ميهن | 8 years ago | Reply @ Bewildered Saudi Arabia and GCC states along with the US have been throwing bones at Pakistan for the last three decades to implement their geopolitical strategies, which has adversely affected Afghanistan. Afghanistan has every right to counter the machinations of its adversaries and use all and sundry to protect its national interest. Let's get one thing straight here, we are not brothers never were never will be. On the contrary, it is India that is your erstwhile sibling with whom you need to make amends. Afghanistan has been around since 1747 and we have dealt with mightier foes, this too shall pass with or without Pakistan's help.

Bewildered | 8 years ago | Reply Well, if NDS mistakenly thinks that Afghanistan's national interests lie in acting as a proxy for India and allowing RAW to use Afghan territory for terrorist activities in Pakistan in lieu of some financial benefit, then Pakistan also have 'national interest' in neutralizing these threats which cannot to be ignored. If not, then Pakistan will extend every possible support to Afghanistan to achieve peace and progress, like a real brother. Afghan people need to understand that India is taking revenge from Afghan people for the invasions and pillage their forefather did by pitting them against Pakistan using some petty cash, and zero life loss of their own. I wish Afghanistan make the right choice for the sake of their own people instead of benefiting a few from the cash India throws at them like a bone.

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