Summary Cooperation between agencies be improved and they should be answerable to parliament, says panel
LAHORE: (Web Desk, Dunya News) – Veteran journalist Iftikhar Ahmad on Saturday hosted his premier show Badal Dou on Dunya News and it was a grand opening. Known for his bold stance on politics and the role of intelligence agencies in the country, Iftikhar Ahmad hosted his first show on the same subject. The panel included towering personalities including Lt. Gen. (r) Moeenuddin Haider, Lt. Gen. (r) Masood Sharif Khattak on one side and Ayaz Wazir and Wusatullah Khan on the other.
The panel indulged into a heated debate on this all-important subject and valid arguments came from all sides. While one side of the panel professed the conservative point of view on agencies’ role in Pakistan politics, the other side was of a more liberal view point. The arguments put forward by both the sides and the added topping of Iftikhar Ahmad made the debate interesting as well as educative for the audience.
Masood Sharif Khattak said that India fears Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) more than Pakistan fears Indian RAW.
If you see Indians fear ISI far more than we fear RAW, says Masood Sharif Khattak on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
Ayaz Wazir said that Pakistan should bring forward the evidence against RAW. He said that the foreign policy of a country always reflects the attitude of the government in power.
Foreign policy always reflect govt s attitude, says Ayaz Wazir on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
We should bring forth the evidence we have against the RAW, says Ayaz Wazir on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
In his message, Lt. Gen. (r) Hameed Gul said that ISI do not go after the politicians. “It is the politicians that come to the ISI”, he said. He also said that it was under Bhutto regime in 70s that the ISI was given authority and mandate to control the politicians.
ISI does not go after politicians, politicians come to ISI, says Hameed Gul on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
ISI was given authority and mandate by political government in Bhutto s regime! says General (retd) Hameed Gul on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
Masood Sharif Khattak and Moinduddin Haider, however, were of a different opinion. They said that the basic mandate of the ISI and other intelligence agencies is to thwart the external threats.
Basic mandate is to gather intelligence to thwart external threats, Masood Khattak, Moinuddin respond to @WusatUllahKhan on #BadalDou
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
Moinuddin Haider said that the situation has improved now. “we have seen Pakistan refused to be played in Yemen conflict”, he said.
Things are improving as we have seen Pakistan refused to be played in Yemen conflict, says Moinuddin Haider on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
Wusatullah was confused though. “I don’t even know what the basic mandate of ISI is”, he said. He added that unrest in a country cannot be avoided unless and until every citizen feels safe and equal in a society.
I don t even know what the basic mandate of #ISI is, says @WusatUllahKhan on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
Until and unless every citizen feels safe and equal, there will be unrest, says @WusatUllahKhan on #BadalDou on #DunyaNews
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
He went on to say that patriotism can’t be forced on anyone. It is the duty of the state to create circumstances that citizens feel proud of their state.
You can t force anyone to be proud of their nationality, you have to create such circumstances that citizens feel proud,says @WusatUllahKhan
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
Finally, the panelists carved out 5 points regarding the role the agencies should play in Pakistan.
The points agreed upon by the panel were as follows:
1 – Cooperation among various intelligence and security agencies should be improved and all should be made answerable to the parliament.
2 – We will have to focus on our internal issues. The sense of deprivation among the people and IDPs of FATA and Balochistan must be addressed so that the foreign agencies are not able to exploit their depravity against Pakistan.
3 – Those who are believed by the security agencies of Pakistan to be working for foreign agencies should be exposed before the government and the people of Pakistan after following legal procedures.
4 – It is the need of the hour that Pakistan must present whatever evidence it has of foreign interference in the country on international forums.
5 – We will have to create such circumstances in the country that people can feel proud of Pakistan, rising above their ethnic and communal interests.
#BadalDou recommendations screen 1 pic.twitter.com/dOpORYps3T
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
#BadalDou recommendations as agreed by panelists! Screen 2 pic.twitter.com/N47M3T4zzF
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
#BadalDou recommendations as agreed by panelists! Screen 3 corrected! pic.twitter.com/xuWOD78REO
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) August 1, 2015
