ISI – Our Pride (By: Abdul Basit Alvi)

Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is our most important intelligence agency. ISI is responsible for collecting, processing and analyzing any information related to Pakistan’s security from around the world. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is a source of pride for their valuable services for Pakistan. Established in 1948, this department of Pakistan Army performs the important national duty of obtaining information regarding ensuring national security. ISI ranks among the best intelligence agencies in the world based on its professionalism, efficiency and organized force. ISI is actually an important part of Pakistan Army which has played a very important role behind the scenes for defense of the country. ISI, like other intelligence agencies of the world, is an agency that provides services against potential internal and external threats. ISI is the eyes and ears of the state in protecting the national interests of Pakistan and the people. ISI is considered to be the largest intelligence agency in the world with a large number of agents. The number of agents is kept secret due to security concerns. However, according to a conservative estimate, more than ten thousand agents are serving in it.

ISI has played an important role for the security and safety of Pakistan since its inception. ISI has served the country from behind the scenes but its role has been remarkable and commendable.

ISI played a very active and important role during the war between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. Pakistan’s main objective at that time was to thwart the Soviet Union’s attempt to conquer Afghanistan. It was the training of the ISI personnel that prepared the Afghans to fight the Russian invaders.

Winning the war against terrorism in Afghanistan is a major achievement and it happened because of ISI, its clear vision and its determination to crush the nefarious intentions of its enemies across the world. The former head of ISI late Hameed Gul once said that “When the history of the world is written, it will be written that ISI defeated the Soviet Union in Afghanistan with the help of America. Then another sentence would be that the ISI defeated the US with the help of the US.” The withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan twenty years later proved that his statement was right.

Pakistan Army, with the help of ISI, launched two successful operations Zarb Azab and Radd al-Fasaad in the country to arrest or destroy the culprits, promoters, sponsors, supporters, financiers and sympathizers of terrorism, extremism and radicalism within the country and its borders. Thanks to the sacrifices and efforts of ISI and armed forces, Pakistan has so far successfully fought war against terrorism. These operations, which were primarily intelligence-based operations, played an important role in eradicating extremism, terrorism and radicalization along with dismantling terrorist financing cells. Timely and accurate information mechanism by ISI played an important role in making these operations a success story of Pakistan.

Anti-State elements and various agencies of the world like RAW and Moosad etc. always try to discredit ISI under their nefarious intentions. The ISI works professionally and like a supernatural force to thwart the subversive activities and ambitions of hostile agencies and elements within the country and across the world, leading rival countries to precede their dirty intentions against it. The ISI is doing everything possible to make Pakistan more secure from global espionage networks and conspiracies of rival forces and without any doubt Pakistan’s national security. Protection of national interests is the main objective of this important Pakistani organization. After the World Trade Center attacks, Pakistan became a partner in the global war against terror, during which the ISI successfully exposed and effectively destroyed various terrorist networks that Pakistan’s enemies had established to destabilize and weaken the state, its institutions and Pakistani society. These networks continued to receive support and funding from neighboring countries such as India and Afghanistan.

Dealing with international and regional espionage networks would have been impossible without the help of the ISI. Kulbhushan Yadav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was involved in dangerous activities in Pakistan’s Balochistan province and spied for India’s intelligence agency RAW. He was arrested by Pakistan Security Forces on 3rd March 2016 on charges of espionage and involvement in terrorist activities in Balochistan. His arresting was resulted due to information provided by ISI. RAW has actually been working from the territory of neighboring states to destabilize and weaken Pakistan long before the incident of World Trade Centre. Pakistan paid a heavy price for being an ally in the war on terror. India has been plotting to divide Pakistan on ethnic lines since the beginning and has been using the land of Afghanistan as a launching pad for its activities against Pakistan.

India is behind the anti-state activities across Pakistan including Balochistan and KPK. The region suffers from cycles of unrest and conflict. India has been involved in sponsoring and supporting terrorism in Pakistan. Last year, 22 people were killed in a bomb blast in Johar Town, Lahore. In a recent press briefing along with CTD officials, Pakistan’s Home Minister told the media that “we have concrete evidence that India was behind the blast.” Talking to the media, the CTD official said that “during the investigation, it has been found that the main suspect in the incident was an agent of the Indian spy agency (RAW) since 2012.”

Pakistan is one of the nine countries of the world that have nuclear weapons, so it is important that we keep them safe from falling into the wrong hands. As Pakistan continues to fight terrorism at home, it is clear that many terrorist organizations and hostile countries may dare to seize our nuclear facilities with pleasure. The ISI is on the frontline to get advance information of any such attack and foil any such nefarious attempt. Till date none of our nuclear facilities have been damaged by any terrorist organization or enemy country. It is our intelligence agency ISI that is playing an important role in ensuring the security of our nuclear assets.

The security of CPEC has also been ensured by Pakistan Army and ISI. India is engaged in fifth generation war on a large scale to hinder Pakistan’s prosperity, especially by targeting China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), they want to cause irreparable damage to us. Our army and ISI are playing their role in the larger interests of Pakistan to counter his nefarious ambitions.

Today we are living in relatively better and peaceful environment. We are free to go and live anywhere. Sports activities have not only resumed but are on the rise. These are the fruits of the intelligence support of ISI and the peaceful environment provided by the Pakistan Army.

If we look at the internal aspect of the country, even here the positive role of ISI cannot be ignored. Keeping a check on anti-state and corrupt elements within the political parties and bureaucracy is a great national duty and the need of the time. In this regard, the government has already entrusted the Directorate General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with the task of proper scrutiny of induction, posting, appointment and promotion of bureaucrats. This is a good step towards eliminating any possibility of elements of terrorism and corruption within our bureaucracy.

Readers, ISI is our pride and it is doing the best for the country. We are grateful to the anonymous heroes of our agency who have sacrificed their families, social connections and comfort to ensure our safety.