By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistan’s ISI has demanded from the US CIA that it reveal about all its agents operational in Pakistan, as a step towards improving relations with them, Online news agency reported Saturday.
The Pakistani agency conveyed the tough condition to the visiting CIA deputy chief, Michael Morrell, during the in-depth talks he has held with ISI chief Lt.Gen Shuja Pasha and other Pakistani officials, the report said quoting defence sources.
The strategic relations between the CIA and the ISI touched the lowest ebb in the wake of US Special Forces’ secret operation that killed Al Qaeda supremo Osama bin Laden in his hideout at Abbottabad garrison town.
Morrell extended his stay in Pakistan seeking to bring improvement in relations with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the report quoted Defence sources as saying.
He held meetings, besides Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, with chief of anti-terrorism department and other senior officials to find out ways and means to remove trust deficit and grave differences developed between the ISI and the CIA in the aftermath of Abbottabad operation May 2.
The sources said the ISI authorities made it clear on the CIA that information sharing on elimination of terrorists’ network would be bilateral and not one-sided, and no operation like Osama bin Laden killing would be acceptable in future.
The CIA would provide the ISI details about its agents and Pakistani stringers, particularly those operating in tribal areas and the US launches of drone strikes on the information which are provided by them.
As per Online, the ISI authorities have asked the CIA deputy chief to keep in view Pakistan’s national interest and not move any of the CIA agents to any place without prior permission for which he has not been issued any permit.
The CIA would have to provide all the details to the ISI and foreign office about the duties of its agents during their stay in Pakistan.
They will have to abide by Pakistani visa laws and it will be responsibility of every agent to obtain security clearance.
The government of Pakistan will also be authorised to cancel visa of any personal without assigning any reason.
Strong reservations were conveyed to Morrell about drone attacks in
tribal areas during the meeting. He was asked to comply with the
resolution passed in parliament but he held out no assurance in this regard.