Leaders of two major political parties in government and the opposition – PML-N and PTI – agreed on On Saturday, when the country’s main intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), should be under civilian control and accountable parliament after PML-N led coalition government provided the agency with legal cover to screen civilian officials.
leader of the PML-N and former information minister Pervez Rashid said on Twitter what if ISI was tasked with with verification of civilian officials, then a spy agency should be under civilian control and be accountable to parliament.
Former information minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry agreed with Rashid and said that if “institutions wanted increase them role in civil affairsthen they have to pay for it in the form of public accountability”.
“The institution (ISI) should think about what role he wants play in Pakistan politics. Discussion required on in new roles of civil institutions and institutions after media revolution,” he tweeted.
“Quite right,” he wrote. former human rights minister and PTI leader Shirin Mazari in reply to Chaudhry’s tweet. “This discussion critical for in future of democracy in Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, former Senate President, PPP member Raza Rabbani called decision set an ISI task with the screening of civil servants is “surprising”, stating that it is tantamount to “conceding civilian space”.
Rabbani in statement, said additional task of screening civil servants prior to their induction, appointments, appointments, and promotions would “overload” the ISI while maintaining in view situation on eastern and western borders, domestic terrorism and related issues.
He said move pointed out a shortcoming of confidence in civil apparatus of the state andalso blurs the line between civil and military bureaucracy”. The constitution, as well as the Civil Service Act of 1973, were all-encompassing laws and did not require scrutiny of civil servants, he said.
“The courts have in some decisions ignored intelligence reports in So it goes. Civil servants already work under pressure of Law on NAB (National Accountability Bureau),” Rabbani said.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also expressed concern over in governments decision.
“Even if it practice was already in placeit goes against democratic norms. role of in military in civil affairs must retreat if Pakistan move forward like a democracy,” HRCP said.
These statements are made following a notice issued by the Department of Institution on June 2 said:
“In exercise of powers conferred by subsection 1 of section 25 of Civil Servants Act 1973 […] read with notification No. SRO 120 (1)/1998 […] in prime minister is pleased to notify the Directorate General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as [the] Special Verification Agency (SVA) for verification and screening of all civil servants (category of employees).
Cited Laws – i.e. subsection 1 of section 25 of Law on civil servants, as well as SRO 120 – to authorize prime minister change or make rules for civil bureaucracy.
Sending a notification government provided legal cover practice which had already was in place but was not framed as part of of protocol.
BUT senior official from the Creation Department previously told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the ISI and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) send their reports on government employees before the latter posted on important assignments.
Reports are specifically sent to the Central Selection Committee (CSC) during of promotion of bureaucrats. practice continued even though the higher courts in several occasions in in the past dismissed such intelligence reports, noting that there were no legal provisions in The Civil Servants Act, which required the agency to inspect of civil servants.
According to officialdespite the notification, IB will continue to send its reports as normal. official said that since then government now gave legal effect to reports issued by ISI and henceforth they may be used in courts as a valid legal document.
However former Institution department secretary disagree. He noted that although prime minister It has power change or make rules for bureaucracy, it would be better if the Establishment Division issued a Regulatory Order (SRO) to amend the Rules of Appointment, Promotion and Transfer (ATR) governing civil bureaucracy, if it wanted to give official accusation of ISI of verification process.
“If only rules changed, a mere notice will not legitimize the agency’s report and cannot be used as a valid document during legal proceedings,” he said.
this is worth Noting that permission from intelligence services is not only an integral part of of promotion process for civil servants, but also plays key role in appointment of judges of the highest court. Judicial Commission of Pakistan, led by the leader of justice, considers intelligence reports of that time of in confirmation and height of judge of the Supreme Court.
