PROFESSIONALISM and valiance are the proven hallmarks of our armed forces. With the backing of the nation, the forces have always lived up to the occasion and forced the adversaries to bite the dust. One has seen this manifestation many a times in the recent past including the war on terror as well as the confrontation with the arch enemy India.
There are also our many unsung heroes who are engaged in protecting the country’s national interests whilst staying behind the scenes. Indeed our reference is to the country’s intelligence network whose stories of courage do not come to the fore. But it is an undeniable reality that Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has over the years played a leading and pivotal role in safeguarding the country’s core national security and defense interests. Our enemy has always tried to stoke instability in the country but it is the ISI which thwarted its nefarious attempts time and again and gave it the restless nights. The successes achieved in the war on terrorism would not have been possible without the effective role played by it. Behind the robustness of the ISI indeed is the brain of all those who were entrusted the responsibility to head this what we will call ‘the strategic asset’. It is really heartening to see that incumbent DG ISI Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed also has a forward looking approach and focusing on further strengthening the hands of the intelligence agency. Given the hybrid war and propaganda campaign unleashed by India against Pakistan, there is a need to equip our agencies with the latest tools and equipment and enhance coordination amongst them in order to effectively counter the sordid plots. General Faiz indeed is a true soldier and has a vast experience to deal with such challenges. He is well known in the army for his contribution in the war on terror and we are confident that he will continue to serve the nation with the same vigor. And the nation should be rest assured the ISI is a purposeful and meaningful agency and is doing its legal, ethical and professional duty to protect the country’s interests.
