PM Gilani, COAS Gen. Kayani and ISI Chief Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha during a meeting at Prime Minister House in Islamabad.—AP/File photo

ISLAMABAD: The government mulls over assigning a new director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as its current chief Lt-Gen Shuja Pasha’s tenure ends on March 18, DawnNews reported on Wednesday.

According to sources, the four names under consideration for the post are Maj-Gen Mohammad Asif, Maj-Gen Naushad Kiyani, Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam and Lt-Gen Javed Iqbal.

Extending Pasha’s tenure is also on the cards, it added.

It is important to note that the tenure of the current DG ISI has been extended twice by the government.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will decide about the new intelligence chief after consultating military leadership.

Earlier, US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter had shown his concern over the retirement of Pasha.

Munter had said appointment of the new ISI chief can affect bilateral ties of the war allies.

On the other hand, the US embassy in a statement hoped to maintain good relations with the next ISI chief.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...