Limits to Imran playing the ISI tune

Sartaj Chowdhury
AN Expert in international law

Pakistan’s recently elected Prime Minster has finally said the much-expected. On Wednesday, PM Imran Khan, with conviction, said that, ``The ISI is our first line of defence and it is the world’s best Intel agency.” The ISI takes great pride in the fact that our own former chief of RAW A.S. Dulat said: The most powerful intelligence agency is either the KGB which no more exists or ISI, because they are very anonymous. The Express Tribune in Pakistan reported with pomp and glory the next day: “ISI most powerful spy agency in the world: ex-RAW chief.” 

Deception is an art of war! Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese military strategist elaborates, ``When able to attack, we must seem unable; When using our forces, we must seem inactive; When we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; When far away, we must make him believe we are near.”Sun Tzu makes clear that he does not seek fame or fortune via courage. Every thought and every action is devoted to fighting war in the most efficient, most effective manner possible, seeking to bring to an end war as quickly as is possible. Sun Tzu further enlightens, “If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.” Job well done, Dulat Sahib!

Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi is an extraordinary man by all accounts. Long settled in Mianwali in Northwest Pakistan, the Khan family is originally of Pashtun origin. Imran’s mother Shaukat Khanum hailed from the Burki Pashtun tribe (South Waziristan originally) settled in Jallandhar. He grew up as the only son in the family with four sisters. Khan founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan’s Movement for Justice) in April 1996 but his party won the largest number of seats only this year.

Upon assuming office, Khan promised a change. He said he would not be living in the Prime Minister’s palatial residence. "Whatever the ruling elite has been doing in Pakistan so far with the taxpayers' money, I'm promising you today I will change all of that." The change was, (as is mostly the case!) short-lived. Weeks after coming to power, he came under fire for flying to his office a mere 15 kms away in a helicopter. Khan’s Information minister Fawad Chaudhry defended him at a press conference by claiming that the helicopter was an inexpensive option costing as little as 55 Pakistani Rupees per km. Chaudhry was widely scorned on the social media as a BBC research revealed that the Agusta Westland AW139 costs 1,600 Rupees per km, way higher than Chaudhry’s claim. This indeed, is before all the other costs associated with running a helicopter are factored in. Given Imran’s struggle and promises, he must not only be thoroughly honest but also above suspicion, like Caesar’s wife!  

Will things change? What needs to be understood is that Mr Khan is only a change of face. The real power still rests with the ISI. It is a part of the Pakistani army, but it actually operates beyond the control of the Pakistani Government as a whole. For Pakistan, the overwhelming obsession remains India. The eternal worry is that India is using Afghanistan to surround Pakistan - that is the central obsession. 

As PM, Benazir Bhutto tried warming up to India. She was reprimanded by the establishment and told to “mind her own business” and leave these matters of “national importance and security” in “capable hands.” In fact, as PM, she was kept in the dark about Pakistan’s nuclear programme! The fact remains that the Pakistani military does not want cordial relations with India. It jeopardises their power, influence and importance. 

Imran is bound to find himself on a collision course with the military establishment sooner or later – as has been the experience of his two predecessors. This, is because, as he takes sight of the bigger picture, he will find that the route to improving economy, creating jobs, improving health and education, passes through territory appropriated by the military. The Pakistani Military’s “welfare foundations” run thousands of businesses worth tens of billions of dollars, ranging from street-corner petrol pumps to sprawling industrial plants. The Pakistani Army is Pakistan’s biggest business conglomerate! The bazaars of any Pakistani town bear testament to the economic power of the military. The Army owns bakeries, banks, insurance companies, universities etc. Ayesha Siddiqa, the author of Military Inc: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy reveals that the Pakistani army exploits the economy through retired personnel. They act as primary conduits for the covert use of the country’s resources.

With Imran coming to power in Pakistan, hopes are indeed high. Although given the past, there is no rosy future in near sight. By and large, the people of both the nations sincerely hope that the two countries enjoy cordial relations. A wish to wander the legendary streets of Lahore will remain unmet….. 

Hum ko maaloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat, 
lekin dil ko khush rakhne ko 
Ghaalib yeh khayaal achcha hai!