Civil and military leadership visits ISI HQ

ISLAMABAD: A comprehensive briefing was given Sunday to the civil and military leadership on the regional and national security situation at the ISI headquarters.

Prime Minister Imran Khan appreciated the tireless efforts of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for national security and expressed his satisfaction over professional preparedness. The civil and military leadership was briefed over the internal and external security situation.

Imran Khan, along with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Nadeem Raza, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi and Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza visited the ISI headquarters.

The leadership’s visit came on the heels of approval the prime minister gave regarding the establishment of the National Intelligence Coordination Committee (NICC), headed by the ISI chief.

Director General ISI Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid received the prime minister, ministers, CJCSC and services chiefs at Directorate General ISI.

Media reports quoting sources reported that the intelligence agencies earlier had at least two rounds of discussions on the establishment of the NICC after which the proposal was submitted to the prime minister for approval.

The NICC would serve as a mechanism to coordinate the over two dozen intelligence organisations in the country. The National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) would also be part of the new structure.

The move is part of the long-awaited reform of the intelligence apparatus, which aims at clarifying the role of respective agencies, improving their coordination, and optimising their capabilities.