GHQ summons ex-ISI chief Lt Gen (R) Asad Durrani over 'Spy Chronicles'

Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General (retd) Asad Durrani has been summoned by the army in connection with a ‘controversial’ book he co-authored with an erstwhile Research & Intelligence Wing (RAW) top boss and Indian journalist.

According to the statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations chief, the attribution of statements in the book to the former ISI chief is being “taken as a violation of Military Code of Conduct applicable on all serving and retired military personnel”.

Lt Gen Asad Durrani, Retired being called in GHQ on 28th May 18. Will be asked to explain his position on views attributed to him in book ‘Spy Chronicles’. Attribution taken as violation of Military Code of Conduct applicable on all serving and retired military personnel.

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) May 25, 2018

The recently released book titled The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace is said to be mainly a series of discussions conducted between the two former adversaries on a range of topics by journalist Aditya Sinha.

Durrani made certain observations in the book, including a claim that then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani was fully on board regarding the Abbottabad US Navy Seals operation against Osama Bin Laden and that a special deal had been struck between the US and Pakistani governments in this regard. He also went on to suggest that Pakistan mishandled the case of convicted Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav, claiming he would eventually be handed over to India.

This development came after the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif called for a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on the issue of revelations in the book as it had been called on the request of the army after Nawaz Sharif made remarks on Mumbai attack.

“The revelations in the book require an NSC [meeting],” Sharif said on Friday while talking to media outside the accountability court hearing corruption references against the former premier and his family members in line with apex court’s July 28, 2017 order. “An NSC meeting should be convened to discuss the threats that come with Durrani’s new book with a former RAW chief. The revelations in the book call for the NSC.”

“A national commission should be formed to oversee such issues and investigate them.  If given the chance to form a government again, we would initiate such a commission,” added the deposed prime minister.