Leon Panetta
CIA director Leon Panetta. — Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: Head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Leon Panetta phoned head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Ahmed Shuja Pasha, DawnNews reported.

The two intelligence chiefs reportedly discussed the issue of CIA contractor Raymond Davis and the status of cooperation between the CIA and the ISI.

Defence sources confirmed the conversation and said the ISI chief expressed his reservations over covert activities of CIA operatives during the talk with Panetta.

Sources said the ISI chief emphasised on Pakistan's security and sovereignty during the conversation.

Sources further said that the CIA will now be providing the ISI with complete records and data on all such operatives.

The CIA will also explain the procedures pertaining to the operatives' activities, sources said.

When contacted, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) refused to confirm or negate the telephone conversation.

Earlier on Thursday, Pakistani intelligence officials said cooperation between the two intelligence agencies had been scaled back because of the Davis incident.

A senior official in Islamabad on Thursday said the Davis case had strained but not broken relations between the CIA and the ISI because the ISI didn’t know about Davis before he shot and killed two Pakistanis on January 27.

“It’s not business as usual; it’s not open war,” the official said. “Cooperation and operations together will continue at a lesser scale.”

Opinion

Editorial

Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...
Under siege
Updated 03 May, 2024

Under siege

Whether through direct censorship, withholding advertising, harassment or violence, the press in Pakistan navigates a hazardous terrain.
Meddlesome ways
03 May, 2024

Meddlesome ways

AFTER this week’s proceedings in the so-called ‘meddling case’, it appears that the majority of judges...
Mass transit mess
03 May, 2024

Mass transit mess

THAT Karachi — one of the world’s largest megacities — does not have a mass transit system worth the name is ...