The Hindu : Front Page : ISI under control of Interior Ministry

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Sunday, Jul 27, 2008
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ISI under control of Interior Ministry

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: In a move with potentially far-reaching implications, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), accused by Afghanistan and India for masterminding terrorist attacks against them, has been placed under the control of a civilian authority in the government.

An official press release on Saturday said both the ISI and Intelligence Bureau have been placed under the control of Pakistan’s Interior Ministry “with immediate effect.”

Often referred to as “a State within a State,” the ISI functioned until now as a part of the Pakistan military. Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj is the current director-general of ISI.

The IB was under the Cabinet Division headed by the Prime Minister.

“In terms of Rule 3(3) of the Rules of Business, 1973, the Prime Minister has approved the placement of Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence under the administrative, financial and operational control of the Interior Division with immediate effect according to a memorandum issued by the Cabinet Division,” it stated.

The development came as Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani headed to the United States for a meeting with President George Bush on Monday.

The Indian National Security Adviser, M.K. Narayan, who also held the ISI responsible for the Kabul attack, said the agency “must be destroyed”.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai held the agency responsible for terrorist attacks inside his country.

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