India’s Surgical Strikes Can Cost Pakistan’s ISI Chief His Job

Chief of Pakistan's infamous spy agency, the ISI, can soon be shown the door following India’s successful surgical strikes, a media report said on Saturday.  The Nation, a newspaper based in Lahore, reported about the possible change in command and stated that preparations are underway to replace him.

Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar replaced the retiring Lt Gen Zaheer-ul-Islam and took charge of ISI in November 2014. The appointment is normally for a three-year period unless the ISI chief retires or is replaced by the army chief.

The Nation quoted a top official who informed that Akhtar will likely switch places with Karachi commander Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar. The swapping makes sense as Akhtar has already served in Karachi as Director General of the Sindh Ranger.

Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif’s retirement can also affect the change of guard. “It depends on whether the army chief gets an extension or retires as announced. I don’t think the notification of other changes in military command will come before that. There are a lot of variables involved,” the official was quoted by The Nation as saying.

The move follows a series of media reports suggesting that the civilian leadership in Pakistan has asked the military to end its support for terror outfits and to not interfere with the working of the counter-terrorism department.

Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, the chief military spokesman, however, denied that the intelligence chief was being replaced. “No such thing,” Bajwa said when asked about it.