Pakistani politics, while always polarised, arguably became more toxic since Imran Khan became prime minister in 2018. And the bickering has increased since Imran was forced to step down in April.
However, on Saturday, there was a rare show of consensus among the warring political parties on a contentious issue: Need for the ISI to be held accountable.
The ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) is Pakistan's intelligence agency and is part of the military apparatus. While notorious in India and the West for its links to terrorists, the ISI has also been panned for its influence in Pakistani politics and government. The agency is not accountable to the civilian government.
On June 2, the Shehbaz Sharif government issued a notification that authorised the ISI to act as 'special vetting agency' for verifying and screening public officials before they take up important positions.
Geo News reported the “decision of the government to screen people before their appointment, posting or promotion to high posts aims at improving the performance of the government and ensuring transparency among bureaucrats and other public office holders, who are often accused of malpractices for personal gains”.
But the move to empower the already powerful ISI for a seemingly new role led to a debate and provided the basis for consensus among rivals.
Senator Raza Rabbani of the PPP, a constituent of the Shehbaz Sharif government, argued a comprehensive law existed for vetting civil servants.
Pervaiz Rasheed, a leader in Shehbaz's PML-N, tweeted on Saturday, “If the task of investigating civilian officers is included in the ISI's responsibilities, then the ISI must be placed under civilian control and accountable to Parliament.”
Chaudhary Fawad Hussain, a former minister in Imran's government and key voice in the opposition PTI, agreed with Rasheed. Hussain tweeted, “Pervez Rashid is right in saying that if the institutions have to increase their role then you will have to pay the price in the form of public accountability, the institution has to think what is its role in the politics of Pakistan? Institutions and the new role of institutions need to be discussed.”
Shireen Mazari, another former minister in the PTI government, echoed Hussain's views. Responding to his tweet, she wrote, “Absolutely correct. This debate is critical for the future of democracy in Pakistan.”
ISI factor in politics
Imran Khan's rise to power in 2018 was attributed to covert blessings of the military. However, ties between his government and the Pakistan Army visibly frayed in 2021 over the issue of the appointment of a new ISI chief.
In October 2021, the Imran government delayed approving the appointment of Lt General Nadeem Anjum as the next ISI chief. The government claimed the prime minister's office had the right to select the ISI chief. Traditionally, the Pakistan Army chief recommended a name that the PMO accepted without reservation.
In November, Imran's government formally approved the appointment of Anjum as ISI chief.
In 2013, the then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani issued an order placing the ISI under the interior ministry, in an attempt to make ISI answerable to parliament. The move miffed General Ashfaq Kiyani, the then Army chief, as he had not been kept in the loop. Within a few days, Gilani had to take back his order.
