ISLAMABAD:
While there has been an overall failure in countering terrorism,
instances of unnecessary and unethical recording of common citizens and
government officials’ telephone calls have multiplied.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision to grant an extension to the chief of a big intelligence agency is also against his own publicly-made pledges. The government has started a controversial process of bestowing extensions which was the benchmark of the Musharraf and Zardari regimes.
The prime minister’s decision to grant extension is a violation of the Supreme Court’s clear judgment not to give extensions unnecessarily, especially on cadre posts where other eligible officers are present. The PML-N had condemned previous regimes on this count on many occasions. Officials believe that accepting the extension is the first major negative point of a spotless career of the chief of the big intelligence agency, who otherwise enjoys a reputation of being an honest and competent officer.
Under the principles of good governance, impartiality and justice, no officer is indispensable for the system, and new officers are always trusted and given opportunities to serve. This is considered the hallmark of a system which is trying to get rid of the status quo. Extensions are mostly granted in the name of honesty and competence, but experts believe that a strong system always prepares and trains officers, gives them top assignments and, consequently, this practice becomes instrumental in the transformation of a corrupt system into a comparatively better system.
When the head of the big agency was asked the same questions by The News he said, “I have stood by the same principle throughout my career and always preached the same.” He said that during his last meeting with the head of the government on the eve of his retirement, the prime minister asked him: “You have worked 37 years for yourselves and now your country needs your services.” He said that he was speechless and was unable to counter this argument. “I was also fearing that the next sentence from the chief executive of the federation could be that I have no time for Pakistan,” he said adding, “I can never hear this sentence.”
The civilian as well as army-controlled intelligence outfits had completely failed to apprehend any single major terrorism activity in the recent past. Even the district courts of the federal capital were attacked in a bizarre fashion by the terrorists a few weeks back and so far there is no clue to any terrorist group involved in the heinous and terrible act.
However, there have been a large number of instances where the illegal recording of calls have been reported and this practice is on the rise as days pass. The intelligence agencies not only tap calls but also use the transcripts to achieve certain objectives, including pressuring individuals. Intelligence agencies also remain unable to control some of the cellular operators from indulging in the same illegal activity only because they themselves do the same instead of pursuing terrorists and anti-state actors.
However, senior government officials say that the present government is not interested in using the intelligence agencies for tapping calls. These top government officials argue by quoting some instances to make their point. Officials say that the political party ruling the federation mostly makes the government in Quetta, and the intelligence agencies are extensively used to achieve this objective. However, the present ruling party opted to give the government of Balochistan to another party. Similarly, the political party ruling Islamabad also successfully makes the government in AJK with the help of the agencies, but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stopped a move in the past to empower the PML-N in Muzaffarabad.
These top officials also argue that the agencies can remove the provincial government in Peshawar in a few days but it has never been on the agenda of the present federal government.
All these points are fine. However, it is a fact that instances of recording common citizens’ calls are increasing and there is no check in this regard. This has badly affected the performance of the intelligence agencies and officials at the helm of affairs in these institutions are unable to defined the priorities for such practices.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision to grant an extension to the chief of a big intelligence agency is also against his own publicly-made pledges. The government has started a controversial process of bestowing extensions which was the benchmark of the Musharraf and Zardari regimes.
The prime minister’s decision to grant extension is a violation of the Supreme Court’s clear judgment not to give extensions unnecessarily, especially on cadre posts where other eligible officers are present. The PML-N had condemned previous regimes on this count on many occasions. Officials believe that accepting the extension is the first major negative point of a spotless career of the chief of the big intelligence agency, who otherwise enjoys a reputation of being an honest and competent officer.
Under the principles of good governance, impartiality and justice, no officer is indispensable for the system, and new officers are always trusted and given opportunities to serve. This is considered the hallmark of a system which is trying to get rid of the status quo. Extensions are mostly granted in the name of honesty and competence, but experts believe that a strong system always prepares and trains officers, gives them top assignments and, consequently, this practice becomes instrumental in the transformation of a corrupt system into a comparatively better system.
When the head of the big agency was asked the same questions by The News he said, “I have stood by the same principle throughout my career and always preached the same.” He said that during his last meeting with the head of the government on the eve of his retirement, the prime minister asked him: “You have worked 37 years for yourselves and now your country needs your services.” He said that he was speechless and was unable to counter this argument. “I was also fearing that the next sentence from the chief executive of the federation could be that I have no time for Pakistan,” he said adding, “I can never hear this sentence.”
The civilian as well as army-controlled intelligence outfits had completely failed to apprehend any single major terrorism activity in the recent past. Even the district courts of the federal capital were attacked in a bizarre fashion by the terrorists a few weeks back and so far there is no clue to any terrorist group involved in the heinous and terrible act.
However, there have been a large number of instances where the illegal recording of calls have been reported and this practice is on the rise as days pass. The intelligence agencies not only tap calls but also use the transcripts to achieve certain objectives, including pressuring individuals. Intelligence agencies also remain unable to control some of the cellular operators from indulging in the same illegal activity only because they themselves do the same instead of pursuing terrorists and anti-state actors.
However, senior government officials say that the present government is not interested in using the intelligence agencies for tapping calls. These top government officials argue by quoting some instances to make their point. Officials say that the political party ruling the federation mostly makes the government in Quetta, and the intelligence agencies are extensively used to achieve this objective. However, the present ruling party opted to give the government of Balochistan to another party. Similarly, the political party ruling Islamabad also successfully makes the government in AJK with the help of the agencies, but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stopped a move in the past to empower the PML-N in Muzaffarabad.
These top officials also argue that the agencies can remove the provincial government in Peshawar in a few days but it has never been on the agenda of the present federal government.
All these points are fine. However, it is a fact that instances of recording common citizens’ calls are increasing and there is no check in this regard. This has badly affected the performance of the intelligence agencies and officials at the helm of affairs in these institutions are unable to defined the priorities for such practices.
No comments:
Post a Comment