The appointment of General Ahmed Shuja Pasha as ISI chief is a significant development. The News (September 30) reports: “In a major reshuffle at command, staff and instructional assignments in the Pakistan Army, newly promoted Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha has been appointed chief of Pakistan’s premier intelligence outfit — the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). This most significant appointment was approved by PM Yousuf Raza Gilani, who directly looks after the affairs of the intelligence establishment. Pasha will replace Lt Gen Nadim Taj, who was appointed as DG ISI by former president Pervez Musharraf. The ISI has been in the limelight over the attempts to put it under the Interior Ministry. However, it remains under the prime minister being chief executive of the country. The ISI is the most important organ of the national security set-up...”

America and us

An editorial in the Financial Times has advised the US to treat Pakistan with respect. Reports Dawn (October 1) “The Financial Times in its editorial on Tuesday has asked the US to treat Pakistan with the respect due an ally, help it rebuild its institutions, restore economic growth and extend the rule of law...The current strategy is not working. Over-reliant on US air power, costly in civilian lives, and outside Pakistan’s control, it is alienating Pakistanis.” Meanwhile Chaudhry Nisar, a senior PML-N leader has said that Pakistan should deal with the US on an equal footing, The Nation (September 30) quotes, “instead of taking dictation from abroad , there was a need of chalking out indigenous policies which protect people’s rights...He said they would not accept any donation or aid which undermine the sovereignty of the country and linked with fulfilling undesirable conditions of IMF and war on terrorism.”

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