Is IB still effective in counter-terrorism job like before?

ISLAMABAD: Two major incidents of terrorism - one in Karachi and the other in Orakzai - on Friday reminded me of a recent warning from an intelligence official source about possible rise in terrorist activities in the country.

The official appeared upset over how the entire team of Intelligence Bureau (IB), which was successfully conducting its countrywide counter-terrorism operations against terrorist networks, was recently removed. The officer had said, “Such a wide level reshuffle of the entire team focusing on terrorism, will only benefit the terrorists and their networks.”

He had warned, “You will see rise in terrorism activities in the coming few months,” and explained that all concerned including federal and provincial governments as well as the military authorities and other agencies acknowledge the commendable contribution of the IB in combating terrorism during the recent years.

Meanwhile, senior journalist associated with Geo, Azaz Syed, had also reported that amid a major reshuffle within the premier civilian intelligence outfit, the IB has been directed to concentrate on fighting corruption instead of countering terrorism. Azaz report said that although IB chief Dr Suleman Khan denied this development, sources within the agency insist that they have been tasked to bring forward corruption cases against prominent political figures and pay attention to these areas.

Dr Suleman, however, had denied this and said, “I come from a background of counter-terrorism, how I can abandon something I have worked on for years?”

Dr Suleman served as chief of IB’s KP chapter under reputed Aftab Sultan, former DG IB, who during his stint as IB head had not only upgraded Bureau’s technical expertise but also built up an excellent team of experts in the field of counter-terrorism. Dr Suleman was an important member of his team.

After becoming Prime Minister, Imran Khan chose Dr Muhammed Suleman Khan, a grade 22 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), for the role of civilian spymaster as the Director General of the Intelligence Bureau (DG IB).

Suleman was promoted to Grade 22 and appointed as the DG IB earlier this year during the PML-N government by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Suleman had replaced Aftab Sultan as DG IB. However, within a few months of his appointment, Suleman was transferred to the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) by the caretaker government.

Imran Khan brought him back because of his reputation and experience. Suleman was the IB Joint Director for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) before his elevation to Grade 22 and appointment as DG. During his tenure at the IB, Khan had to his credit a number of successful counter terrorism and counter intelligence operations in KP, launched by the IB in collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies.

However, what surprised many that after becoming the IB chief, Dr Suleman removed all key players of Aftab Sultan team to which he was one of the leading members. These postings primarily affected badly, those who were involved in the counter-terrorism operation and had produced remarkable results during the recent years.

After Dr Suleman himself got elevation from head of agency’s KP chapter to the chief of Intelligence Bureau, he removed almost all regional heads of IB including the then Punjab chief Rao Sarfraz Ali Khan, Sindh chief Abdul Khaliq Shaikh, Quetta’s head Khawar Anwar, Rawalpindi-Islamabad In charge Fawad Asadullah.

The latest reshuffle even removed Bureau’s Joint Director General Shujaatullah Qureshi, who was based in the Bureau’s headquarters and involved in coordination work between JDs, regional chiefs in terrorism related functions. Many others including even some deputies of regional chiefs were changed.

Sources insist that the en-bloc reshuffle of almost the entire IB’s team engaged in counter terrorism has created a vacuum to the benefit of terrorists and their networks. These sources explain that almost all those who, during the last several years, had developed their expertise and had established connections within the terrorist networks, have been replaced by the fresh lot which will take years to gain the kind of experience which was available with the previous team.

Another official of the Bureau, however, denied that Friday's terrorist activities have something to do with recent shuffle in the intelligence outfit. He said that the officials now at the helm of affairs are also competent and have expertise in counter terrorism. He said that an impression was created that the whole agency has been asked to shift its focus from counter terrorism to detecting corrupt practices, adding that it was not true. However, he said, few official have been tasked to probe some complicated matter which other anti-corruption agencies were not able to handle. He said that it was short-time task being assigned for well being of Pakistan without any bias.

During the recent years, the IB had gone through massive upgradation and reformation process to make it a modern and effective spy agency. After ISI, which during the last decade or so was said to have been overhauled and upgraded as one of the most well equipped spy agencies in the world; the last government had assigned Aftab Sultan to overhaul the IB.This upgradation of the IB contributed to the overall capacity of the country’s security agencies to counter the security challenges including terrorism haunting the nation. The IB has already set up its modern tracking systems in almost its regions. Because of this upgradation, the IB had started producing remarkable results.