Islamabad: ISI’s new chief Lt Gen Zahirul Islam plans to visit some European countries with his predecessor Ahmed Shuja Pasha for exchanging views with intelligence and military officials on Pakistan’s ties with the US and reopening of NATO supply routes. Pasha will accompany Islam to help him with the transition at the ISI, as the new chief familiarises himself with global and regional issues, the Dawn newspaper quoted unnamed officials as saying.
Islam took over as chief of the powerful spy agency last month. Though Parliament is to make a final decision on ties with the US and the NATO supply routes, Islam is likely to discuss both issues during his planned visit to Europe, the report said.
Some opposition politicians have alleged the government is keen to reopen the NATO routes because of “considerable American pressure,” it said.
Pakistan closed the supply routes in November after a cross-border NATO air strike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
The government subsequently ordered a Parliamentary review of Pakistan-US ties but the exercise has been hampered due to concerns expressed by opposition parties.
Reports have suggested that Pakistan and the US were holding talks behind the scenes to put their ties on an even keel. The Dawn quoted an unnamed federal government official as saying that it was more or less certain that NATO supplies would in future be managed by the army-run National Logistics Cell and Pakistan Railways.
The official suggested that the reason for army’s interest in the reopening of NATO supply routes was economic wellbeing of Pakistan and Afghanistan in the long run. (PTI)