Ahmad Shuja Pasha
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Ahmad Shuja Pasha , HI(M) (born 18 March 1952) is the current Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI), Pakistan's premier intelligence service since October 2008. He was due to reach the age of superannuation on 18 March 2010, but has received two extensions. His tenure was extended by a year and then again by another two years, until 18 March 2013. He was recently named as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine.
in the 49th PMA Long Course in 1974. He has commanded a mechanized infantry brigade, an infantry battalion and has served as the Chief Instructor of the Command and Staff College
of the Pakistani Army. From 2001 to 2002, General Pasha served as a Contingent and Sector Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
.
Pasha was promoted to Major General in January 2003, and posted as GOC 8th Infantry Division in Sialkot. From there in April 2005, he was sent as Commandant Command and Staff College
in Quetta. From April 2006 to October 2008, Pasha served as the Director General of Military Operations at the Army headquarters overseeing all military engagements in Waziristan
, Swat
and other tribal areas
.
In October 2007, Pasha was selected as Military Adviser to Secretary-General of United Nations however due to his commitments as DGMO he never joined the UN.
Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha was born in 1952. He has commanded an infantry division, a mechanized infantry brigade, an infantry battalion and has served as the Chief Instructor and Commandant of the Command and Staff College of the Pakistani Army. From 2001-2002, General Pasha served as a Contingent and Sector Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone. Pasha was also selected as Military Adviser to Secretary General of United Nations however due to his commitments in Pakistan never joined the UN. From April 2006 to September 2008 Pasha was the director general of military operations for the Pakistani army.
The newly elected civilian government of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Jilani tried for two months to gain control of the appointment for the director of the ISI as well as place the agency under the administrative, financial, and operational control of the Interior Ministry. However, the attempt failed when Chief of the Army, General Kayani appointed Pasha on September 29, 2008. Gen. Pasha’s prior post was responsible for planning operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in the FATA and NWFP provinces of Pakistan. Pasha is closely allied to General Kayani.
of Prime Minister
Yousaf Raza Gillani
tried for two months to gain control of the appointment for the director of the ISI as well as place the agency under the administrative, financial, and operational control of the Interior Ministry. However, the attempt failed when Chief of Army Staff, General Kayani
appointed Pasha on 29 September 2008. Pasha’s prior post was responsible for planning operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in the FATA
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan, signaling a reorientation from the ISI's traditional Kashmir/India
focus. Pasha was appointed director of the ISI at Washington's behest; Pasha is closely allied to General Kayani, the CIA
, and holds anti-Taliban views. The United States Government
had pressured Pakistan to replace Lieutenant-General Nadeem Taj
, the prior chief of the ISI, whom they claimed as "double dealing" with militants with a more acceptable candidate like Pasha. Additionally, Pasha’s appointment was part of a wider Chief of Army Staff reappointment shake-up that solidified General Kayani’s loyalty among the military as all prior appointees were done by former President
and Chief of the Army Pervez Musharraf
.
,Indian media reported that Pasha has prepared to go to India to share intelligence after a request from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
, constituting the first time the head of the ISI traveling to help the investigation of a terrorist attack, but later on it turned out to be a wrong report.
In September 2009, he made another public outreach toward India, attending an Iftar
hosted by Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Sabharwal.
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
(ISI), Pakistan's premier intelligence service since October 2008. He was due to reach the age of superannuation on 18 March 2010, but has received two extensions. His tenure was extended by a year and then again by another two years, until 18 March 2013. He was recently named as one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine.
Army career
Pasha was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the famed Frontier Force RegimentFrontier Force Regiment
For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
in the 49th PMA Long Course in 1974. He has commanded a mechanized infantry brigade, an infantry battalion and has served as the Chief Instructor of the Command and Staff College
Command and Staff College
The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, British Raj, now in Pakistan, and is the oldest and the most prestigious institution of the Pakistan Army. It was established in 1905 in Deolali and moved to its present location at Quetta in 1907 under the name of Quetta...
of the Pakistani Army. From 2001 to 2002, General Pasha served as a Contingent and Sector Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
The United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone was a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2005. It was created by the United Nations Security Council in October 1999 to help with the implementation of the Lomé Peace Accord, an agreement intended to end the Sierra Leonean...
.
Pasha was promoted to Major General in January 2003, and posted as GOC 8th Infantry Division in Sialkot. From there in April 2005, he was sent as Commandant Command and Staff College
Command and Staff College
The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, British Raj, now in Pakistan, and is the oldest and the most prestigious institution of the Pakistan Army. It was established in 1905 in Deolali and moved to its present location at Quetta in 1907 under the name of Quetta...
in Quetta. From April 2006 to October 2008, Pasha served as the Director General of Military Operations at the Army headquarters overseeing all military engagements in Waziristan
Battle of Mir Ali
The Battle of Mir Ali was a bloody military engagement occurred between 7 October and 10 October 2007 and involved Taliban militants and Pakistani soldiers around the town of Mir Ali, Pakistan , the second biggest town in the semi-autonomous region on the border with Afghanistan.- Timeline of the...
, Swat
First Battle of Swat
The Battle of Swat, Codename: Operation Rah-e-Haq, began on October 25, 2007 and involved the Pakistan Army and Taliban-led forces in a fight for control of the Swat district of Pakistan. Between October 25 and November 7, 2007 the militants quickly seized control of the region...
and other tribal areas
War in North-West Pakistan
The War in North-West Pakistan is an armed conflict between the Pakistan Armed Forces and armed religious groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan , Lashkar-e-Islam, TSNM, Arab and Central Asian militants including Al-Qaeda, regional armed movements and elements of organized crime.The armed...
.
In October 2007, Pasha was selected as Military Adviser to Secretary-General of United Nations however due to his commitments as DGMO he never joined the UN.
Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha was born in 1952. He has commanded an infantry division, a mechanized infantry brigade, an infantry battalion and has served as the Chief Instructor and Commandant of the Command and Staff College of the Pakistani Army. From 2001-2002, General Pasha served as a Contingent and Sector Commander of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone. Pasha was also selected as Military Adviser to Secretary General of United Nations however due to his commitments in Pakistan never joined the UN. From April 2006 to September 2008 Pasha was the director general of military operations for the Pakistani army.
The newly elected civilian government of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Jilani tried for two months to gain control of the appointment for the director of the ISI as well as place the agency under the administrative, financial, and operational control of the Interior Ministry. However, the attempt failed when Chief of the Army, General Kayani appointed Pasha on September 29, 2008. Gen. Pasha’s prior post was responsible for planning operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in the FATA and NWFP provinces of Pakistan. Pasha is closely allied to General Kayani.
ISI appointment
The newly elected civilian governmentCabinet of Pakistan
The Cabinet of Pakistan is headed by Prime Minister and plays an important role in the Government of Pakistan, in accordance with the Westminster System....
of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousuf Raza Gilani is the current prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League , Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008...
tried for two months to gain control of the appointment for the director of the ISI as well as place the agency under the administrative, financial, and operational control of the Interior Ministry. However, the attempt failed when Chief of Army Staff, General Kayani
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI, HI is a four-star general in the Pakistan Army, and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He replaced General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief of Army Staff and the commandant of the army on November 29, 2007...
appointed Pasha on 29 September 2008. Pasha’s prior post was responsible for planning operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in the FATA
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan, signaling a reorientation from the ISI's traditional Kashmir/India
Indo-Pakistani relations
Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained by a number of historical and political issues, and are defined by the violent partition of British India in 1947, the Kashmir dispute and the numerous military conflicts fought between the two nations...
focus. Pasha was appointed director of the ISI at Washington's behest; Pasha is closely allied to General Kayani, the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
, and holds anti-Taliban views. The United States Government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
had pressured Pakistan to replace Lieutenant-General Nadeem Taj
Nadeem Taj
Lieutenant General Nadeem Taj, HI is a senior and a three star general in the Pakistan Army who is currently serving as its Adjutant General in the GHQ...
, the prior chief of the ISI, whom they claimed as "double dealing" with militants with a more acceptable candidate like Pasha. Additionally, Pasha’s appointment was part of a wider Chief of Army Staff reappointment shake-up that solidified General Kayani’s loyalty among the military as all prior appointees were done by former President
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
and Chief of the Army Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
.
2008 Mumbai attacks
In the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
,Indian media reported that Pasha has prepared to go to India to share intelligence after a request from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, constituting the first time the head of the ISI traveling to help the investigation of a terrorist attack, but later on it turned out to be a wrong report.
In September 2009, he made another public outreach toward India, attending an Iftar
Iftar
Iftar , refers to the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right after Maghrib time...
hosted by Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Sabharwal.