ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army has expressed reservations over former Inter-Services Intelli­gence director general retired Lt Gen Asad Durrani’s disclosures in a book, which has been co-authored by former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) Amarjit Singh Dulat, and called Gen Durrani for “clarifications”.

“The Army has serious reservations over the book. Description of many issues in the book is contrary to the reality,” said a military source on Friday night.

“He is being called to the General Headquarters to explain his position,” the source said, adding that the former spymaster would have to clarify his position in view of the apparent violation of the military code of conduct.

In a late-night tweet, the director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Asif Ghafoor said the former ISI chief was asked to explain his position at the GHQ on May 28.

ISPR chief says attribution in Spy Chronicles taken as violation of military code of conduct

“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,” reads the tweet.

The recently launched book — The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI, and the Illusion of Peace — contains conversations between Gen Durrani and Gen Dulat mediated by an Indian journalist. The two former spies have in the book touched upon some thorny issues which have kept Pakistan-India ties strained for decades and at times pushing them to the brink of war. The issues include terrorism, particularly Mumbai attack, Kashmir and the influence of intelligence agencies.

The book also discusses the case of Indian intelligence officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested in Balochistan over two years ago and has been on death row for his involvement in terrorism and espionage. Gen Durrani was quoted in the book as suggesting that a message could have been sent to RAW about the arrest of Jadhav and at some stage swap or return him at the right price.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier during the day had said that Gen Durrani’s revelations were serious and merited convening of a National Security Committee meeting.

The military source said no one was above the law and everybody would be held accountable without any discrimination.

Some believe that the military’s move to call Gen Durrani for clarification was meant to pre-empt Mr Sharif’s demand for convening the NSC meeting.

The military source termed it a “timely” action.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2018