ISLAMABAD – Investigations into the case of Raymond Davis, an American arrested in Lahore in January for killing two Pakistanis, have revealed that the US spy agency, CIA is indulged in heavy recruitment of local agents in Balochistan to locate members of the so-called Quetta-based Taliban Shura.
It was the result of a probe into the Davis case that the Pakistani security agencies came to know that around 300 more CIA contractors were present in various parts of the country, apparently to keep an eye on Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders that the Americans suspect to have taken refuge in various cities and towns across the country.
“Now it has also been revealed that the CIA is indulged in heavy recruitment of local people as agents in Balochistan to locate members of the Quetta Shura, a term used by the Americans for Mullah Omar-led Taliban commanders,” a senior official said.
“Mostly, the agents being recruited or hunted for recruitment by the CIA are Afghans living for years now in Quetta and other cities of Balochistan where the American spy agency believe the Taliban leaders could have their hideouts,” he said. He said, “Each agent is being paid around $500 by the CIA and in return he has to keep any eye on Taliban activists or sympathisers in his area. The basic aim is to collect information about Mullah Omar and his close aides.”
The presence of US marines in Quetta training FC personnel is not a secret as the officials of the ministry of defense and interior admitted this in a recently held meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Defense. In addition to that reports have also appeared about the presence of CIA in Quetta.
A Pakistani diplomat said currently both Pakistan and the US were trying hard to resolve the issue of Davis amicably. “Yes, Davis’ arrest and the subsequent probe has revealed many startling things such the CIA’s recruitment spree in Balochistan where the law and order is already volatile, but our security agencies are discussing and tackling that issue with the Americans in way that the national interests are fully safeguarded,” he said.
He said Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders in their recent interaction with the US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman and other American officials have sought details of all CIA operatives and contractors like Raymond Davis working in Pakistan.
“Our agencies do have the record now of Davis like ‘dubious characters’ but we also want the Americans to cooperate with us and also to make sure that we don’t make any miss,” the diplomat said.
$500 each for CIA agents in Balochistan
