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ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Rizwan Akhtar left for USA Wednesday on his first ever visit to hold talks with top US intelligence officials on regional security, Afghanistan and counter terrorism.
"The DG ISI [has] proceeded to USA for an official visit," a short statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
"During the visit he will meet his counterparts and discuss issues related to intelligence," the ISPR spokesman said.
According to sources, Gen Rizwan will meet senior officials at the National Security Council (NSC) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Chief John O. Brennan.
Earlier in November last year, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif visited the US where he held talks with senior US military commanders and defence officials.
During his visit, the COAS had also called on the US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Lloyd J. Austin who had praised the Pakistan Army for its commitment, professionalism and achievement in the fight against terror as well as the ongoing Zarb-i-Azb operation.
Take a look: Army chief’s US visit
Pakistan’s fight against terrorism entered a new phase after the Dec 16 Peshawar school tragedy with government categorically stating that distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ Taliban had been given up.
Also Read: 'No favourites': Operation is against all militant groups, COAS tells US
Gen Raheel had also met International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) commander General Joseph Dunford. Dunford had condemned the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar and had assured Pakistan of complete cooperation in countering terrorism and in security-related matters.
Pakistan's military in mid-June had launched an all-out operation, named 'Zarb-i-Azb', against militants in the region which is still under way.
Moreover, months into Zarb-i-Azb, the army also launched Khyber 1, an operation to clear out militant strongholds in the tribal region of Khyber
The United States has acknowledged the efficacy of Pakistan's extensive operation against militants in their northwestern stronghold, with both American military leaders and experts saying the Pakistani offensive along the Afghan border has disrupted the Haqqani network – a development that has had a positive bearing on the security situation in Afghanistan.
According to US media reports, Pakistani and Afghan efforts to repair the ties, the effectiveness of Zarb-i-Azb operation and upward trajectory of Pakistan-US relations have helped set an environment of optimism and trust.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (76) Closed
Feb 25, 2015 11:12am
He seems to be a very thorough and intelligent person. Despite all difficulties he was able to assert his position as DG rangers in Karachi.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:14am
Its strange and worrying that USA is now speaking directly to Army and ISI Chief and bypassing the Prime Minister. Will the public of Pakistan, as tax payers know the reality of these discussions?
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Feb 25, 2015 11:16am
And kindly do something we have hopes in you. our politicians just go for begging.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:18am
The US cultivate the right people.........its worked for close on 70 years.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:29am
Bystander, don't be silly politicians don't go to beg. They are required to attend regular progress reviews on their specified KPIs, Whether they have looted and impoverished public enough and is there any real risks developing of mass public unrest? Both ends must be balanced for neo colonial setup to survive.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:29am
@Good Pakistani Girl well I'm surprised it took you so long to notice but we're now under un-declared martial law
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Feb 25, 2015 11:31am
@Good Pakistani Larki, it is quite normal among allied nations for such high level talks among intelligence or other special area honchos to have discussions. It is not "bypassing" the PM but done with his full knowledge and blessing. You need to get out a bit more.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:33am
DG ISI and others remember that's your duty to protect the country If you will be fail in this crucial time Nation wont forget you.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:44am
How much will he bring?
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Feb 25, 2015 11:49am
@YOUKNOWIMRIGHT Sorry I disagree. You think they actually need NS blessing and knowledge? lol
They just dont want to embarrass him and be hit with sanctions due to a Coup D'Etat
NS is a lame duck and ceremonial PM, Raheel is defacto Head of State. For that matter thank god Raheel is in charge and Nawaz is not
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Feb 25, 2015 11:53am
Why don't you send NS advisor Sartaj aziz
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Feb 25, 2015 11:58am
The two top most intelligent outfits of the world are joining heads to untangle what their predecessors had entwined under their own regional and self-centered priorities. It is almost impossible for intelligence and politics to go on any well defined rigid plan of action and almost invariably covert takes precedence over open to public plans.
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Feb 25, 2015 12:09pm
I hope both Rizwan Akhter and Gen. Raheel Sharif are brewing something good for Pakistan by these visits they both are the last chance for us.
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Feb 25, 2015 12:11pm
"Who is paying for his Visit and how much" Said Nawaz Sharif on his FB
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Feb 25, 2015 12:20pm
@good pakistan girl i fully agree with your thoughtfull concerns, While the Americans has not much time for the civil authorities but they do indulge with the military leadership too often n i think this is the reason why the pakistan government unable to take a stand when there national interest demands so and yes the Americans are spot on again as they had noticed in past few weeks pakistan getting cozy with the chinese.
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Feb 25, 2015 12:27pm
What a pity! It's been closed to 70 years since independence but the country is still run by Army.
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Feb 25, 2015 12:31pm
@JET LEE : What is the fun in having an almost Nonagenarian (87 years old) as the adviser to the PM for Foreign Affairs ? Do you think he would be better than the two down to earth generals here ?
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Feb 25, 2015 12:56pm
Where are our Indian friends? This should be a perfect topic for them to put there leg in, aren't we all missing them?
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Feb 25, 2015 01:13pm
@Good Pakistani Girl this is because it requires lot of effort and time to make PM comprehend the matters. Remember his meeting with Obama? He used perchees and mixed them up?
This is to save the embarrassment.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:18pm
His presence in Pakistan more important, he can get instructions in Pakistan as well.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:18pm
@JET LEE there are intelligence matters to be discussed. This is biggest deficiency of current dispensation: intelligence that is.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:20pm
@AMV Houston they are getting advice from RAW and Information Ministry.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:31pm
Pakistani tax payers? Cool 1.5% of all Pakistanis. The tax collected would not allow Pakistan to survive even for a few months and some would allege that many of these 1.5% have amassed money by corruption. For the war against the TTP Pakistan needs money and modern weapons. The USA can provide both. Hence, the need to assure the US Generals and Administration that this time the war against TTP is real. The US Visits of Generals Raheel and Akhtar are most welcome.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:33pm
@Good Pakistani Girl There's no real democracy in Pakistan.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:34pm
@Good Pakistani Girl The public, as taxpayers, do not seem to be concerned with the repeated looting of national wealth by officials who gained power through rigging elections and through gangsterism. Why would they care about two competent officers diligently doing their job?
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Feb 25, 2015 01:39pm
It is now official that the external affairs of Pakistan are looked after by the Army and not the civilian Government. COAS goes to Afghanistan and the US and so does the DG/ISI.
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Feb 25, 2015 01:50pm
He is meeting with US intellgence official,so what's wrong?
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Feb 25, 2015 02:21pm
what is the use of ISI can anyone explain it....????
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Feb 25, 2015 02:29pm
No need to make issue out of it. Is he going to meet political leadership of US?
According to the news details he will meet his counterparts in US and not John Kerry. What Nawaz Sharif or Sartaj Aziz can discuss with NSC or CIA? This is part of an interaction between two Intelligence/Security agencies.. Most of those who comment in "Dawn" are Indians and they are adversely effecting others making them think negative only.
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Feb 25, 2015 02:30pm
1. Our Generals went to America when they wanted Afghans to fight Russians and they cashed it well.
2. Our Generals went to America when American wanted to fight Afghans and they cashed it well.
3. Our Generals are going to America when Pak Army wants to fight Taliban and they are hopping to cashed it well.
We love Generals because they cashed every moment, well.
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Feb 25, 2015 02:30pm
@Larka ..correct
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Feb 25, 2015 02:33pm
@Sayed ...the real democracy requires Hamza Shahbaz should be DG ISI and Capt. Safdar
new COAS?
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Feb 25, 2015 02:35pm
Again army officers going to give US army officers action taken report.
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Feb 25, 2015 02:54pm
They are all looking for a [lace to live.
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Feb 25, 2015 03:00pm
First it was the PM then the COAS, then Chaudhry Nisar and now the DG ISI. Something fishy and it's all on the expense of the tax payer.
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Feb 25, 2015 03:14pm
@Bystander
Very strange that general public is asking military and spy agency to run the country rather than their elected leaders. Don't know what state is this country today!
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Feb 25, 2015 03:18pm
@Good Pakistani Girl ..every one knows the reality the USA and UK.in fact they like to deal with a dictator.the are all corrupt civilian gov.or a military dictator. The difference is they don't have to wait for too long to get their orders through when there is a dictator...
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Feb 25, 2015 03:28pm
@Good Pakistani Girl: you want America to talk to intelligent Nawaz Sharif?
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Feb 25, 2015 03:28pm
The US has cultivated the Generals so well that the entire Intelligence and the Army Network is their hands. They know every thought and move of the Generals including the state of affairs of China.
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Feb 25, 2015 03:30pm
I hope he practiced saying the only two words he will speak there: 'YES SIR',
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Feb 25, 2015 03:37pm
@Good Pakistani Girl coup d'etat in the offing
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Feb 25, 2015 03:42pm
We Indian are following the churning going on among our friends there. Army is in control of your country is well known fact. We are also eagerly waiting for result of their action. We pray they succeed this time. Trouble on our west also leaves impact on us. there is no scope for failure here.
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Feb 25, 2015 03:42pm
@khan.... Just praise no orientation based on results... what did he achieve in Sind... did the crime come down. did the killing stop in his era ...
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Feb 25, 2015 03:43pm
@Good Pakistani Girl .... it is called proxy martial law... let us keep each other happy...
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Feb 25, 2015 03:45pm
@Bystander don't worry he will be TOLD to do something not about us but about THEM....
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Feb 25, 2015 03:53pm
Please don't come back without the aid money
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Feb 25, 2015 04:00pm
in hindsight this should have happened years ago, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:14pm
His meeting with CIA chief will be very interesting. CIA needs to come up with answers as to how come Indian RAW was operating all these years, more then decade actually, inside Afghanistan, right under the nose of CIA! Or there is more to it that meets the eye? This should be taken into the context of APS Peshawar attack.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:19pm
It really scares me when our COAS or any other senior military commander visits foreign countries that we cannot trust. US has the technology to do almost anything.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:24pm
@Bystander easiest is to blame politicians for every bad thing regardless the cause.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:25pm
All the best, DG ISI.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:29pm
@Good Pakistani Girl intelligence agencies & their work is always more clandestine and more powerful than states. regardless of which country they are from.
KGB had instilled terror in world and CIA is more powerful and resourceful than american govt.
this is how it is.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:32pm
@Taimoor Khan CIA does not need to answer anything, its is your ISI head that is going to America, to beg for more military and financial aid for military operations.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:36pm
@Canada you words depict as if echos from a fool's paradise.
you allow yourself to be a victim of 'selective analysis'. a most common flaw found in NRP's.
while living in a democratic country that you do i.e. canada, you while commenting on Pakistan try to use 'democracy' as your ammo, while easily forgetting democratic values and their definitions.
as the 2013 elections have proven, the left of the center suffered a huge slam dunk loss.. that is not about to change in decades.
there is no soft coup etc; the comment that allied countries normally do engage is 'safe' intelligence sharing is pragmatic. and it is in tandem with the govt. not in opposition to it.
at the same time , what do you say when USA has freely supported establishmen in Pakistan, rather than democracy?
this is a system which takes 3 generation of continuity to delivery grass root results. Let it work and stop expecting adventures.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:39pm
@Karachi Voice i will just add.. usa politicans secretary of state came here too... to support the army cause and jihad cause, ensuring that they themselves preach to the fighters.
so usa is no supporter of democarcy in Pakistan & never will be. Only we the people should force it. and force our elected parliamentarians to DELIVERY on correct priorities. not look for adventure.
pakistanis should stop passing the monkey on army then on to civil govt. n then back here n there.
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Feb 25, 2015 04:40pm
@AMV Houston it is ur internal issue we indiams know when not to imterfrre
But wondering y ur pm adv tariq saab not goimg to us with his vast kmowledge on terrorism
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Feb 25, 2015 05:01pm
Is it to warn the ARMY & ISI to mend their ways. Or otherwise they prefer them to rule the country.
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Feb 25, 2015 05:10pm
I am sure no Urdu Daily will crow about how much this trip cost to "Nation" and in which five star hotel Mr. DG will be staying. Now it's clear, Mr Sharif will do press conferences and world tour. The nexus of power is shifted.
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Feb 25, 2015 05:14pm
@AMV Houston
oh yea
our resident Indian commentator AkA Sunil
missed him lately
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Feb 25, 2015 05:50pm
@Good Pakistani Girl The day our so called democratic will be competent enough , the world wont discuss matters with our generals ...
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Feb 25, 2015 05:56pm
@Karachi Voice And the poor Pakistani nation suffers due to their (generals) wrong decisions. We need to make our own decisions.
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Feb 25, 2015 05:59pm
@Ahmed - here is your 'third umpire' that Imran Khan had been asking for. He took the army bait, hook, line and sinker and weakened the PM.
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Feb 25, 2015 06:01pm
@Alam one such proposal was given in the past by a political party, for Zardari's as President of Pakistan, then what happened?
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Feb 25, 2015 06:08pm
If Pakistan has ever prospered, it has during the military rule. Don't give an example of general Yahya Khan. The selfish politicians, barring ZAB, were equally responsible for the debacle in early 70's. Pakistan is now in need of military rule to get rid of Nawaz-Zardari-MQM clique. Generals please when you take over make sure there will be a large scale 'chaanti' of corrupt people - this includes all sections of population. The 'clean-up' (you know what I mean...) of one or two crore corrupt people doesn't matter. At least 20 cores minus two crores will live in peace and harmony. Army is our last hope.
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Feb 25, 2015 06:20pm
The Pakistan Army is living a dream; all powers without responsibility or the stigma of a dictatorship! A nation of 200 million can't produce a 1000 good administrators???
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Feb 25, 2015 06:30pm
in the last isi-cia chiefs meeting between pasha and panetta the logistics of the brazen US raid was agreed upon, so what now ?
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Feb 25, 2015 06:31pm
@Good Pakistani Girl pakistanis pay taxes? I thought that was optional.. the day Pakistanis start paying taxes 90% of its problems will be solved no more begging for money from foreign nations
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Feb 25, 2015 07:11pm
Well it clearly show America's desperation to mend its relation with its strategic ally
I wonder what would be the consequences
Hope the militancy game both countries were playing comes to an end
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Feb 25, 2015 07:36pm
@Ranveer Singh Warraich Turst me, you dont know a dime, so why waste the space here?
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Feb 25, 2015 07:48pm
Since when the CIA cheif and other American intellegence officals are "democratically" elected civilians? Some of them might not even be known in public life. So if our spy master is meeting their spy masters, what is the big deal as some Indian trolls are making out here?
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Feb 25, 2015 08:29pm
Asking for donations ? Again so soon.
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Feb 25, 2015 09:20pm
It is weird that there is public news about the visit of an intelligence officer. Normally such visits are kept secret but in Pakistan we also use these opportunities to scare our democratically elected leaders.
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Feb 25, 2015 09:22pm
@Good Pakistani Girl
do you think your pm is capable and decisive. If he is a better option please ask him to arrest maulana aziz of lal masjid
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Feb 25, 2015 10:52pm
Having miserably failed to control street ruffians in karachi, the ex DG rangers, now DG ISI heading to USA with report card. Let us see how many marks he will get.
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Feb 25, 2015 11:38pm
@Kashifi, means, although get your pure land being ruined but remain loyalist and stoic.
@Concerned, I am really concerned about our so called literates. tell me when did we choose the leaders ?
@Khanm, na kar yr.
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Feb 26, 2015 06:03am
@Good Pakistani Girl USA does NOT need to justify nor it's answerable to anyone. Pakistan breathes on foreign aid, and on U.S aid, consistently since 1948 (except few years in between). If you feed some for 60 plus years, you don't need to give any justification!
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