Nawaz Sharif's revelations to Asad Durrani: How Pakistan is spilling its dirty secrets
Pakistan is undergoing a tough time dealing with multiple problems which are largely its own creation. After former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's sensational remarks on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks vindicated India’s stand, one more unforeseen problem has gripped Pakistan. In a recent development, former ISI chief Asad Durrani collaborated with ex-RAW head AS Dulat to co-author a book — Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace — which has led to a flurry of activities in Islamabad.
It’s unthinkable that an ex-ISI chief would enter into a joint enterprise with India’s top spy to churn out a book disclosing sensational details. Durrani is likely to undergo sustained questioning by the army and the ISI, and this would give the much-needed ammunition to anti-army lobbies to target the ISI.
The release of the book and its high-voltage publicity has politicised the whole issue spelling more trouble for Pakistan. The Pakistan Army on Monday (May 28) ordered a court of inquiry and recommended Durrani's name be added to the exit control list (ECL) to prevent him from leaving the country. The army had earlier summoned Durrani to seek his explanation over Spy Chronicles. He has been accused of "violating" the military code of conduct.
Commenting on controversy surrounding the book, Sharif on Tuesday (May 29) said there is "no point in investigating just one person". According to Sharif, Durrani wrote the book but former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf and former chief of general staff (CGS) Shahid Aziz also gave statements.
Earlier, in a bold and forthright manner, Nawaz Sharif categorically confirmed that the 26/11 terrorists were all Pakistanis and described them as "non-state actors". Pakistan in particular, and the world in general, was taken aback by such a surprising yet unambiguous admission.
It’s also being seen as a direct defiance of the Pakistani military establishment as also a straight challenge to the all-powerful ISI. The timing of Sharif’s statement is intriguing. He has spoken out at a time when his detractors have been taking shots at him at frequent intervals, knowing that his disqualification means his political career is over. It also comes at a time when the country is poised to hold its next elections in July this year.
The tenor of Sharif’s remarks are thoroughly provocative and consistent. His boldness at this juncture has caused worry among those men in uniform who are de facto ruling the country with an iron hand undermining the judiciary, the election commission and the accountability commission.
Sharif also lashed out at his critics who charged him for being unpatriotic. He counter questioned them to say, how could the state allow terrorists to cross over and kill more than 150 innocent people in Mumbai? In the same vein, he questioned why Pakistan was taking so long to complete the trial against the perpetrators of the dastardly terror attacks?
By these audacious charges against the government, Sharif has surely put the establishment on the back foot.
While there is a sense of celebration and satisfaction in the Indian quarters on the former Pakistani PM's outburst, the ISI and the Pakistani military are believed to be seriously contemplating action against Sharif as it’s a "do or die" situation for them.
In a significant move, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has called for an urgent meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday (May 29).
According to media reports, Abbasi has summoned the meeting to discuss security and border issues.
According to Geo TV, the top civilian and military leadership is likely to review the implementation of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) reforms, regional situation and matters pertaining to eastern and western borders of the country. It is also been said that the NSC is likely to discuss the issue of Spy Chronicles.
Earlier, in an apparent damage-control bid, a segment of the ruling party, the PML(N), wanted to shift the blame to media for having "misinterpreted " Sharif's comments on 26/11. Interestingly, talking to mediapersons, Sharif claimed he will speak the truth without fearing any consequences.
According to this report, Sharif, when asked by a reporter in the same interaction around two weeks back, to comment on the impression that India has been reluctant to provide evidence in the case, responded, "There is no shortage of evidence — there is plenty of evidence."
When another reporter pointed to his acknowledgment of the presence of "non-state actors", Maryam Nawaz, who was accompanying her father, replied, "So then who was Zarb-i-Azb [military operation] conducted against?"
All this is also indicative of the fact that perhaps Sharif and his daughter are deriving support from certain quarters who may be interested in pre-empting any military move to usurp power or stage a coup to topple the civilian government.
After all, such developments are not new. We need only look back at history. Pakistan has witnessed innumerable palace intrigues since its birth. One more misadventure may not make much difference, except upsetting the geopolitical balance in the region.
Sharif’s rhetoric means that in the coming months we might see an uneasy calm, keeping the ISI on its toes. Under these circumstances, the ISI too remains vulnerable as a large section of its sleuths, possibly connected to some political party, could be a part of the power games. Durrani’s book, therefore, remains a crucial factor in shaping future developments.
India as an immediate neighbour and target of covert operations, needs to be cautious to seize every emerging opportunity to capitalise on the likely wedge between the armed forces and the civilian government in Pakistan.
Some experts also believe that the US is keenly watching these developments and with Trump’s known stance on Pakistan, we can expect something dramatic.