Pakistan appoints new spy chief

Zaheer al-Islam, who is currently serving as an army corps commander in the region of Karachi, will take over the new position on March 18 to run Pakistan’s most important intelligence agency.

The current ISI chief, Lieutenant-General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, has been heading the ISI since 2008 and will retire from the post following stormy times in the US-Pakistani relations and after being accused by the US of backing militants across the border in Afghanistan.

Lieut. Gen. Islam comes from a military family and has been approved by the head of Pakistan’s military General Asharf Pervez Kayhani. He has also served as deputy head of the ISI agency in the past.

The military commander had in the past “traveled to the US to participate in US military sponsored training and international fellowship program,” according to a US official.

“We would expect General Zahir to continue cooperation with the United States in our mutual fight against terrorism,” the US official added.

Lieut. Gen. Islam is an experienced figure both inside and outside the military and has had important army positions since 1977, analysts say.

AO/HJL

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