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There will be no war with India: ISI chief

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Reuters

Posted: Jan 07, 2009 at 1158 hrs IST

Islamabad The chief of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency has said there will not be a war with India over November's terrorist attacks on Mumbai, Der Spiegel reported. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Shujaa Pasha told the German magazine in an interview terrorism, not India, was Pakistan's enemy, and he said he took orders from the civilian president.

"There will not be a war," Pasha said. "We are distancing ourselves from conflict with India, both now and in general."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stepped up a war of words on Tuesday, saying for the first time the assault "must have had the support of some official agencies in Pakistan".

Pakistan has denied any involvement by state agencies and rejected Singh's accusation, saying India was ratcheting up tension and risked destroying all prospects of a serious and objective investigation.

Pasha said that soon after the Mumbai attack, Pakistan had anticipated an India military response.

"At first we thought there would be a military reaction. The Indians, after the attacks, were deeply offended and furious, but they are also clever," he said.

"We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds. We know full well that terror is our enemy, not India."

The Pakistani government had initially offered to send Pasha to India to help with the investigation but withdrew the offer, apparently after objections from the top brass.

Pasha told Der Spiegel he had been willing to go to India. "Many people here are simply not ready," he said in the interview, published on Spiegel Onlne.

Support For Democratic Government

India sent evidence on Monday to Pakistan that it said linked Pakistani militants to the attacks, including data from satellite phones and what it describes as the confession of a surviving attacker

Pakistan said it had got a dossier and was examining it.

Pasha, a former chief of military operations, was appointed director-general of the military's main security agency in September, two months after the government that came to power after February elections tried to bring it under the ambit of the Interior Ministry.

The government dropped the attempt in the face of objections from the military.

But Pasha said he and the military fully supported the government, led by the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Her widower, Asif Ali Zardari, replaced former army chief Pervez Musharraf as president in September.

"It is completely clear to the army chief and I that this government must succeed. Otherwise we will have a lot of problems in this country," Pasha said.

"The result would be problems in the west and east, political destabilisation and trouble with America ... Anyone who does not support this democratic government today simply does not understand the current situation."

The dissolution of an ISI section responsible for spying on Pakistani politicians in November was seen as a military concession to the civilian government, Der Spiegel said.

"I report regularly to the president and take orders from him," Pasha said.

Pasha said ISI officers were allowed to hold different opinions: "But no one can dare to disobey a command or even do something that was not ordered."

Pasha also dismissed speculation of a secret agreement allowing the United States to attack militants in Pakistan with missile-firing drone aircraft.

"But to be honest, what can we do against the drone attacks? Should we fight the Americans or attack an Afghan post, because that's where the drones are coming from? Can we win this? Does it benefit Pakistan?"

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EMR mind Machine Crime in India on all software companies by supratik saha on 23 Oct 2009

TO STOP CORPORATE SOFTWARE COMPANIES CRIME AND RELATION INTERNALLY WITH INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST

Peace by A well wisher on 08 Jan 2009

Let’s talk sense not war, it’s not in anyone’s interest. Neither Indians nor Pakistanis afford a war in present geopolitical scenario. We have a lot in common to take care of, our infrastructure, education, health and obviously economy. Terrorism is not in anyone’s best interest so that war. We as people of sub-continent should see who will benefit from a weekend India or destabilized Pakistan? Let’s put our heads together and undo the misadventures from East Pakistan to Bangladesh and Pokhran to Cahghi explosions in 1998. Let’s talk about our children’s common future and our region’s stability. Neither India nor Pakistan can win any wars in this region anymore it will be a total devastation of all of us. Let us give peace chance and learn from our historic mistakes from 1971 to 1998, Kargil and today.

ISI chief comment by G.Ramachandran on 08 Jan 2009

When whole world agrees that the 26/11 attack was master minded by Pakistan with support from ISI, it denies it.So only we can laugh at the interview of ISI chief comments on many issues.The world knows that it is the civilian government at Pakistan taking orders from Military and ISI and not vice versa. God save Pakistan.

No war with India by Hero Vaz on 08 Jan 2009

The Paki NSA has been sacked for talking out of turn. Is it now the chance of the ISI chief to be sacked for the same reason?

shameless country by vasant on 08 Jan 2009

whole world knows that pakistan is terror ridden place in the world no sane person want to deal with your kind of rogue nation, your people may be good but your leader,s are as bad as indian leaders, for sake of the power they will do any thing shamless country shameless people.

Crazy Pak Leadership by Raj on 08 Jan 2009

The general's words are funny and hilarious when he says 'we are crazy in Pakistan but not completely out of our minds'. Sure! not completely out of their minds but utter fools to think they can keep doing this like cats drinking milk with eyes closed. The Afghans, the Americans, the Indians, Chinese and the Russians will sooner or later figure the rogues out and chew them and pound them up. As to Asif Zardari, he better save his own base from his own foes that he is shielding with his little brains.

Attack is not an option by Suresh on 07 Jan 2009

Attack is not an option for any country.Terrorist are usually non state actors.Why india is so anxious to attack pak.India doesn't no what is war is..STUPID PEOPLE sitting behind the computer thinking WAR ATTACK..LIKE playing video game.. they are not Palestinian ..They are PAKISTANI..

Paki ISI chief dirties pants by Hero Vaz on 07 Jan 2009

The ISI chief's statement is a clear indication that the Pakis have got the big shits.

pity on u .... the indians by ghazi on 07 Jan 2009

mr rajani...... it is state of indian who has done henious crime against the people of pakistan. the terrorist colonel of indian army prohit sharma the terrorist should be handed over to pakistan for his dasterdly act of killing over 60 pakistanis in samjhota express case. but pity on u people the only gentleman trying to get rid of indian state terrorists in likes of RSS, VHP and alilke was mysteriosly killed nd no investigations..... wt a pity u indians.

PITY YOU PAKIS YOU WILL BE SECOND SOMALIA SOON by RAMAN KRISHNAN on 08 Jan 2009

mr Ghazi, You better pity our own country.Sooner or later your country will be taken over by army brass heads... Pity you pakistanis.. your fate is to live under army rule. Mind you, if India attack you.. that will be the end of pakistan..and you will become a second Somalia.

Beggars Pakis. by Parimal on 08 Jan 2009

Ghazi

Who should pity whom by Sid on 08 Jan 2009

Mr Ghazi, don't be stupid. For all that you think, Purohit Sharma is being tried in India. So is anyone who even remotely tries to hurt muslims. But your failed state can't act on its own terrorits. Only idiots will think Pakistan is a better place compared to India. Are you one of them?

shameless country by vasant on 08 Jan 2009

ghazi or kazi your country is shameless one with begging bowl going around the islamic nations telling them your sad stories been for almost 61yrs so pls dont compare yourself with indian population, shut your mouth for good.

Fate of India by Rajani on 07 Jan 2009

see our fate. Instead of India declaring War on Pak for what heinous crime they have done to us, Pak is saying 'No war'.? Pity Indians...we need Indira Gandhi now....

LT. GEN. PASHA IN SENSE NOW by VIVEK on 07 Jan 2009

Lt. General PASHA has come to SENSE from NONSENSE. And he must have learnt about Lt. General NIAZI, who along with his 90 thousand troops surrendered to Indian Army in 1971. Abi bhi zurdar ne ka mokk hai General. But how can you believe General ??

No war with India: ISI chief by Rajdeep Anand on 07 Jan 2009

If Pakistan is helpless about drone attacks from the US, it should be equally helpless if India were to do the same? So why don't we attack the terrorist camps, infrastructure, leader's locations etc,with impunity.And if it evokes a reaction, then we go all the way, but the issue must be addressed once and for all. Everyone worries about Pakistan using the nuclear option because of our flawed nuclear strategy. It's time the world started worrying about India using the nuclear option if Pakistan were not to act on so called 'non state actors'. Our nuclear strategy should be so tailored as to use sub KT devices against Pakistani targets in her depth areas as a weapon of submission.

Going by the lying history of Pakis, especially ISI, this is guarantee there will be a war soon. by U N S Ecular on 07 Jan 2009

Going by the lying history of Pakis, especially ISI, this is guarantee there will be a war soon.

Even they know India is run by a meek govt. by Ayyappa on 07 Jan 2009

They know very well that the current govt is very meek and do not have the guts to attack Pak. See what is courage by looking at Israel. Our politicians are wearing bangles as said by Bal Thackarey.

The Viet Cong's tunnels by Sridhar on 07 Jan 2009

'There will be no war with India: ISI chief' Don't believe one word of this statement. As he speaks Pakistan will be preparing its army to fight an unconventional guerilla war with India. They are already doing this by digging tunnels underneath the International border. Remember the the Veit Cong's techniques against the fromidable American forces in Vietnam! They dug long tunnels and surprised the Americans.

ISI: There will be no war with India. by Tapan Bose( Flt.Lt.IAF-Retd.) on 07 Jan 2009

I reluctantly believe that Lt.Gen. Pasha is right! They CANNOT WIN a full-scale war against India!! However, Pakistan has seen that the best method of DESTABILISING India is by waging a PROXY WAR against India by ENCOURAGING terror groups (THERE ARE DOZENS ) in Pakistan to infiltrate India

THINGS THE ISI CHIEF DID NOT SAY BUT MEANT !!! by TRUE INDIAN PATRIOT on 07 Jan 2009

"There will not be a war," Pasha said. "We are distancing ourselves from conflict with India, both now and in general." .....because we have mastered other ways of fighting this proxy war."We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds. We know full well that Terror is our enemy, not India." .....actually we don't know what is the difference between being crazy and out of our minds and so we don't know if terror is our enemy or India."It is completely clear to the army chief and I that this government must succeed. Otherwise we will have a lot of problems in this country," ...this government will succeed only if it listens and implements our(the Army's and the ISI's) devious plans."I report regularly to the president and take orders from him," ....er...I mean the other way around ....excuse the faux pas !!

Hark the truth speaker by Lalit on 07 Jan 2009

Ya, we believe you.

we protest by lahari on 07 Jan 2009

there shud be a war

There will be no war with India: ISI chief by sunny on 07 Jan 2009

Its all lies, just a cosmetic face to show the world that pakis are serious. Their trend of past actions clearly shows that they cannot be trusted, they just want to buy time now

TERRIOSTS IN THE WORLD by VIJAYAPRAKESH on 07 Jan 2009

PAKISTAN NEVER ACCEPT THE TRUTH, BECAUSE THEY ONLY CREATING TERRIOSTS IN THE WORLD, PAKISTAN IS HAVEN FOR TERRIOSTS, IT IS KNOW TO EVERY ONE IN THIS WORLD

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