ISLAMABAD – Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, who recently secured another extension in his service, called on Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani here on Friday and discussed with him important issues with the focus on security and terrorism.
Pasha, whose current term as ISI chief comes to an end on March 18, has been given a one-year extension by the president on the advice of the PM, with the former signing the summary in this regard. “The government has in fact decided to give a two-year extension to the ISI chief but it will be done in two phases and in accordance with that formula, his services have been extended by a year [for] now,” said a senior official, who wished to remain unnamed.
General Pasha’s extension comes less than a year after the government granted a three-year extension to army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. “The ISI chief’s extension has been made possible because of the strong desire expressed in this regard by the army chief, who believes that General Pasha should continue to head the spy organisation in the face of serious internal and external security challenges facing the country,” the official said.
He said the PM congratulated the ISI chief on his extension, saying the decision had been made keeping in view his services for the country. The ISI chief, said the official, gave a detailed briefing to the PM about matters pertaining to internal and external security.
