ISLAMABAD: In a shocking revelation, the Ministry of Defence has accused the country’s former spymaster Lt General (r) Asad Durrani of ‘interacting’ with the enemy’s intelligence agency, Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), since 2008.
Gen Durrani, who is among a few spymasters who headed both of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) as director-general, had challenged placement of his name on no-fly list in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in 2019.
Durrani has come under scrutiny after co-authoring a book, titled ‘The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace’, with Amarjit Singh Dulat, the former head of India’s spy agency RAW, in 2018. Following the book’s publication, the MI had written to the Interior Ministry to put Durrani’s name on the ECL and the same was done in May 2018.
In its para-wise comments submitted in response to Durrani’s petition in the IHC on Wednesday, the Defence Ministry said that the former ISI chief’s name was placed on the no-fly list for “his involvement in anti-state activities”.
Opposing a request seeking removal of Gen Durrani’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), the Defence Ministry has stated the retired general officer had been “interacting with hostile elements”, including Indian intelligence agency RAW, since 2008 and was likely to be involved in future publications against the interest of Pakistan.
It said that a perusal of the book The Spy Chronicles revealed that it contained “certain contents concerning [the] national security of Pakistan, being in contravention of the provisions of the Official Secrets Acts, 1923”.
“It is further highlighted that there are [a] number of such publications on the way, supported by hostile elements which contain content to create misperception, confusions, question marks against the top leadership circles at country level and to target the common people,” reads the ministry’s response.
It added that Gen Durrani had been “affiliated/interacting with hostile elements especially Indian RAW since 2008”, saying although he had submitted an affidavit “committing to refrain from such activities” to the government, the same had still not been seen “in tangible terms”.
According to the ministry’s reply, Rule 2(c) of the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Rules, 2010, authorised the federal government to prohibit a person from exiting Pakistan for a foreign destination if the said person is involved in “‘acts of terrorism or its conspiracy’, ‘heinous crimes’ and ‘threatening national security'”.
Moreover, it says Articles 15 and 19 of the Constitution clearly stated that the “freedom of movement and freedom of speech are subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by [the] law in the public interest and integrity, security or defence of Pakistan”.
The Defence Ministry stated that Gen Durrani’s name could not be removed from ECL “at this stage” because inquiries being conducted against him were being finalised. It said that the former ISI chief wanted to travel abroad with the intention of participating in international conferences, forums and talks which will have “serious national security implications as evident from the recently published book ‘Honour Among Spies'” — which was also authored by Durrani and published “through Indian publishers/RAW supported elements”.
According to the Defence Ministry, “the petitioner also appeared on social media on October 12 and 13, 2020, and expressed his views which of course cannot be well received by any patriotic citizen”.
While noting that Gen Durrani had remained part of the army for 32 years and served on important and sensitive positions, the ministry said that “it was inappropriate of his stature to co-author a book that too with [an] ex-Indian RAW chief and Indian journalist on matters concerning the national security of the country”.
“Hence, a sufficient cause for placing the petitioner’s name on ECL [exists],” the response added.
The ministry said after Gen Durrani’s book was evaluated from a “security perspective”, it was confirmed by the Court of Inquiry that it contained contents “which were against the interests of Pakistan”.
The ministry asserted that no fundamental right of the petitioner had been infringed by the placement of his name on the no-fly list, saying: “If a citizen, which includes a person performing function[s] in connection with the affairs of the state, does not obey the constitutional commands, then he is not performing his obligation imposed by the Constitution.”
Gen Durrani’s petition is expected to be taken up again by the IHC in the second week of February.
In February 2019, a spokesperson for the Pakistan Army had announced that the former ISI chief had been found guilty of violating the military’s code of conduct and a court of inquiry was ordered against him for writing the book. A military court subsequently stripped him of his pension and other post-retirement benefits.
Gen Durrani then challenged that order before the Lahore High Court. In October 2020, he informed the LHC that the government had restored his pension.
