Although Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar had confirmed last week that another extension was being given to the ISI chief, followed by reports that the prime minister had signed a summary, no notification to the effect had been issued till Saturday night. – File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The issue of granting another extension to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt-Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha remained an enigma, a day after his first one-year extended term expired on Friday, according to officials.

Some senior officials at the defence ministry said only the secretary could release such information. Dawn

However, an official told that Lt-Gen Pasha had started his new term in office on Saturday. But he was unable to mention the period of extension granted to the ISI chief.

“All the procedural requirements have been met and the general will remain in office. One year or two years is not something important,” the official said.

In reply to a question about reports suggesting that the ISI chief would not be retained in uniform this time, the official dismissed such reports as kite-flying.

There were speculations that the formal notification was being delayed because of differences between the political and military leaderships over the period of extension.

Some analysts believe that Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani wants to retain Gen Pasha as ISI chief for two years, but the government is not ready to extend the term beyond one year.

The rare second extension makes Gen Pasha the only three-star general presently serving in the Army. The move, however, has not come as a big surprise as it was generally believed that Gen Kayani, who himself got a new three-year term in relaxation of rules last year, would like to keep his close confidant as the ISI chief for another term.

The recent tension between the ISI and the CIA over covert CIA operations in Pakistan that came to light after the arrest of Raymond Davis is believed to have reinforced the thinking that an experienced hand is needed to defuse the situation.

Although the PML-N and some other critics had opposed the idea of giving another extension to Gen Pasha, many defence analysts believe that continuity in the ISI leadership is the need of the hour in view of the role of the country's premier intelligence agency in combating militancy.

In many ways, ISI is different from spy agencies of other countries which are run by civilians. It falls directly within the military's chain of command and a majority of its officers are military personnel.

With one exception, all the ISI chiefs belonged to the army and it has seen significant expansion over the past decade with its new counter-terrorism role.