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Intelligence Bureau (Pakistan)

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Intelligence Bureau
سررشتہِ سراغرسانی ، پاکستان
Intelligence overview
FormedAugust 17, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-08-17)
JurisdictionGovernment of Pakistan
HeadquartersIslamabad, Pakistan
MottoDefence of Pakistan
Annual budgetclassified
Intelligence executive

The Intelligence Bureau (Urdu: سررشتہِ سراغرسانی) is an intelligence and security agency in Pakistan focused primarily on non-military intelligence. Established in 1947, the IB is Pakistan's oldest intelligence agency. DG IB is usually an officer from the Police Service of Pakistan.

The government of Pakistan elevated the Intelligence Bureau status from a semi-autonomous agency to a Division, upgrading it to the equivalent of a Federal Ministry, under oversight of a federal secretary.[1] Appointments and supervision of its operations are authorized by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

History

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The Intelligence Bureau traces its origin to the Central Special Branch, established on 23 December 1887 by the British government in India to gather intelligence on political unrest. Its creation followed Secret Dispatch No. 11, dated 25 March 1887, in which R. A. Cross, the Secretary of State for India, sanctioned the proposal by Lord Dufferin, the Viceroy of India, to create a system for the "collection of secret and political intelligence in India".[2]

Dufferin proposed utilizing the police forces in British India and political officers in princely states for the "collection of intelligence on political, social and religious movements". He recommended the establishment of "special agencies" at both central and provincial headquarters. The Provincial Special Branches, under local government control, were tasked with sharing intelligence with the Central Special Branch.[2] Dufferin modelled the agency after the Third Section of Imperial Russia. To reduce expenses, the agency shared the manpower and facilities of the existing Thuggee and Dacoity Department. The General Superintendent of the Department was entrusted with the supervision of the Central Special Branch.[3] The Provincial Special Branches were attached to the offices of either the Inspector General of Police or the chief secretary of the respective provinces.[3]

In 1904, based on the recommendations of the Indian Police Commission (1902 – 1903) chaired by Andrew Fraser, the Central Criminal Intelligence Department—also known as the Department of Criminal Intelligence (DCI)—was established.[4] This reorganization led to the abolition of the Thuggee and Dacoity Department and the merger of the Central Special Branch into the DCI. Additionally, Criminal Investigation Departments (CID) were created in the provinces. Initially, Provincial Special Branches were incorporated into the CIDs, but they were later separated as their functions evolved.[2]

Section 40(2) of the Government of India Act 1919 stated that "the Intelligence Bureau should keep the Government posted with matters relating to the security of the Indian Empire." Reflecting this directive, the DCI was renamed the Intelligence Bureau in 1920, a year before the Act formally came into force in 1921.[3]

In the aftermath of the independence of Pakistan by the British Crown, the IB, like the armed forces was partitioned, with a Pakistan IB created in Karachi.[5] Since, the IB is the oldest intelligence community; others being the Military Intelligence (MI) of Pakistan's military.[5] The IB was initially Pakistan's only and main intelligence agency with the responsibility for strategic and foreign intelligences, as well as counter-espionage and domestic affairs.[5]

Its poor performance with the MI and unsatisfactory detailing of the war with India in 1947 was however considered less than exemplary. Due to the fact, IB was concerned with internal security matters, and was not set up for foreign intelligence collection. These considerations ultimately led to the creation of the ISI in 1948 as it quickly took the charge of gathering strategic and foreign intelligence at all levels of command.[6]

Appointment for IB's Director-General are made by the Prime Minister but the appointment has to be confirmed by the President.[7][8] The IB is a civilian intelligence agency, and its DG have been appointed from the civil bureaucracy and the police; as well as retired military officials have also served as DG IB.[citation needed]

Operations

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Since the 1950s–1980s, the IB was running active operations to monitor politicians, political activists, suspected terrorists, and suspected foreign intelligence agents.[citation needed] Right after Dhaka Fall in 1971, the IB apprised the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of coup discussions between the Commander-in-Chief, Gul Hassan Khan and Air Chief Marshal Abdul Rahim Khan. Bhutto and his close aides, including Ghulam Mustafa Khar, in a counter-coup invited both Generals to the President House under false pretenses and obtained their resignations.[9] The IB keeps tabs on political operatives from countries it considers hostile to Pakistan's interests.[citation needed] In the 1990s, the IB gained international reputation when its agents had successfully infiltrated many of the terrorist organizations.[citation needed]

In 1996, the IB was granted control of government censorship programs, controlling information dissemination via mail, wire, or electronic medium.[10] In the 1990s, the IB remained actively involved to curb sectarianism and the fundamentalism in the country. Many of its operations were directed towards infiltration, conducting espionage, counterespionage, and providing key information on terrorist organizations.[10] After the disastrous 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the IB played its role as a stakeholder of the government.[10] IB's successful infiltration techniques has led to the capture and detainment of many of high-profile terrorists and sectarian militants.[10] Moreover, it has been instrumental in efforts to break terrorist networks and organised crime rackets throughout the country especially Karachi through its sophisticated human and technical intelligence apparatus.[10] The agency had also been blamed for its belligerent role in Operation Clean-up at Karachi in 1991–92 and 1994–96.[10]

The IB is considered to be a main tool of the government to pacify opposition elements and is sometimes viewed as a government toppling machine. One case under discussion in the Supreme Court of Pakistan is for the alleged involvement of the agency in destabilizing the Punjab Government in 2008.

In 2019 after Indian airstrikes in Pakistan's Balakot, IB managed to bust whole ring of local informers that mapped and provided crucial operations to Indian RAW which then helped IAF in locating its targets.

In January 2021, the IB caught a former militant, Salimullah, filming a strategic military installation in Kashmir for RAW.

IB successfully foiled ISIS-K plan to assassinate President Arif Alvi during president's Sibi visit in 2022.

RAW's nefarious plan to infiltrate spies into prominent military installations of Pakistan was countered by IB in 2022. The IB unmasked 25 Indian agents and successfully thwarted India's attempt to infiltrate Pakistan security apparatus.

In yet another highly secretive and successful operation, a retired-Rangers commando, Muhammad Ali who was working as a hitman for RAW by running an assassination cell within Pakistan that aimed to eliminate prominent Kashmiri militants was nabbed along with his accomplices in 2023. His entire cell was dismantled by IB. Later, it was revealed that Muhammad Ali was tasked by Indian agencies to eliminate Hafiz Saeed and other Kashmiri militant leaders residing inside Pakistan after RAW's failed assassination bid to eliminate Hafiz in 2021.

Constitutionality and powers

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The IB agents have no formal arrest powers, and its suspects are often apprehended and interrogated by the FIA agents at the request of the IB officials.[11]

The IB also passes on intelligence gained through infiltration between other Pakistan's intelligence community, police, and other Law enforcement units.[citation needed] The Bureau also grants the necessary security clearances to Pakistani diplomats and judges before they take the oath. Powers granted by the government, the IB also intercepts and opens regular mails and letters on a daily basis.[citation needed]

Designations

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Grade Designation/Rank Equivalent Police Ranks
BS-7 Constable Constable
BS-9 Head Constable
BS-11 Assistant Sub-Inspector
BS-14 Sub-Inspector
BS-16 Inspector
BS-17 Assistant Director Assistant Superintendent of Police
BS-18 Deputy Director Suprintendent of Police
BS-19 Director Senior Suprintendent of Police
BS-20 Deputy Director General Deputy Inspector General of Police
BS-21 Joint Director General Additional Inspector General of Police
BS-22 Additional Director General Inspector General of Police
BS-22 Director General (none)

Organization

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Directorates Executive figure
Sindh Provincial Headquarters (SPHQ), Karachi Joint Director General
Balochistan Provincial Headquarters (BPHQ), Quetta Joint Director General
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Headquarters (KPHQ), Peshawar Joint Director General
Punjab Provincial Headquarters (PPHQ), Lahore Joint Director General
Capital Region Headquarters (CRHQ), Islamabad Deputy Director General
Intelligence Bureau Academy, (IBA) Islamabad Joint Director General

List of IB officers killed in the line of duty

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  • 1993: Abdul Latif Baloch [12]
  • 1983: Aman-Ullah Khan, Director General
  • 2008: Khaliq uz zaman, Inspector
  • 2009: Qamar Anees Shaheed, Assistant Sub Inspector
  • 2010: Saif Ullah Khalid, Inspector
  • 2010: Kashif Khan
  • 2011: Hassan Raza
  • 2011: Alam Khan, Sub Inspector
  • 2011: Abdul Razzaq, Inspector
  • 2011: Arshad Ghayas, Assistant Sub Inspector
  • 2011: Siraj, Deputy Director
  • 2012: Qamar Raza
  • 2012: Bashir Khan, Inspector
  • 2013: Muhammad Ali, Sub-Inspector
  • 2013: Khawaja Abdul Wahab, Inspector Sargodha
  • 2013: Mazhar Awan, Sub Inspector Sargodha
  • 2013: Mazhar Ali, Sub Inspector Sargodha
  • 2013: Agha Aatif Khan, Assistant Sub Inspector Sargodha
  • 2013: Abdul Mueed Hamirani, Assistant Director
  • 2013: Sajid Hussain Zahidi, Assistant Director
  • 2014: Manan Shah, Inspector
  • 2014: Rana Saad Noorani
  • 2016: Usman Gul, Inspector
  • 2021: Khan Bahadur, Sub Inspector
  • 2022: Muzahir Hussain Bangash, APS
  • 2022: Amjad Khan, Assistant Sub inspector
  • 2022: Najeeb Khan, Assistant Sub inspector

List of IB chiefs

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  1. Major Tayyab Raza, November 1982
  2. Brig. Imtiaz Ahmad, 1990–1993
  3. Maj.(R) Masood Shareef 1993–1996
  4. Ch. Manzoor Ahmed (PSP) 1997 – August 1998
  5. Col (R) Iqbal Niazi, August 1998 – October 1999
  6. Major Gen Rafi Ullah Niazi 1999 – ?
  7. Maj Gen (R) Talat Munir, ? – October 2002
  8. Col (R) Bashir Wali Mohmmand, October 2002 – February 2003
  9. Brig (R) Ijaz Shah, February 2004 – March 2008
  10. Tariq Ahmed Lodhi (PSP), March 2008 – August 2008
  11. Shoaib Suddle (PSP), August 2008 – May 2009
  12. Javed Noor (PSP), May 2009 – October 2011
  13. Akhter Hassan Gorchani (PSP), July 2012 – March 2013
  14. Aftab Sultan (PSP), June 2013 – June 2018
  15. Dr. Suleman Khan (PSP), May 2018 – July 2018
  16. Ihsan Ghani (PSP), July 2018 – August 2018
  17. Shujaat Ullah Qureshi (PSP), August 2018 – September 2018
  18. Dr Suleman Khan (PSP), September 2018 – April 2022
  19. Fuad Asadullah Khan (IB-cadre) S(ST), T(ST), nsc, April 2022 – present

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Web Desk (2024-02-19). "Intelligence Bureau gets 'division' status". ARY NEWS. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  2. ^ a b c Reshi, Shabir Ahmad; Dwivedi, Seema (April 2015). "Growth & Development of Intelligence Apparatus during British Colonial Era in India" (PDF). International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention. 4 (4): 13–19. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Basu, Saumitra (24 August 2021). The History of Forensic Science in India. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-41119-5. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  4. ^ Popplewell, Richard James (1995). Intelligence and Imperial Defence: British Intelligence and the Defence of the Indian Empire 1904-1924. London: Frank Cass. pp. 42–52. ISBN 978-1-135-23933-6. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Raman, B. (2002). "Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)" (google books). Intelligence: Past, Present & Future (2 ed.). New Delhi, India: Sona Printers (Pvt) ltd. p. 417. ISBN 8170622220. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  6. ^ Todd, Paul; Bloch, Jonathan (2003). Global intelligence : the world's secret services today (1. publ. ed.). London: Zed Press. ISBN 1842771132. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  7. ^ Rana, Asim Qadeer (7 June 2013). "Nawaz makes Aftab Sultan new IB chief". Report written by the Nation's reporter A.Q. Rana. The Nation, 2013. The Nation. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  8. ^ Ghauri, Irfan (7 June 2013). "Aftab Sultan appointed DG Intelligence Bureau". Irfan Ghauri published the report at the tribune.com.pk. Express Tribune, 2013. Express Tribune. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Why do Coups Happen in Pakistan: A Rejoinder".
  10. ^ a b c d e f Haqqani, Husain (2005). Pakistan between mosque and military. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. ISBN 0-87003-285-2.
  11. ^ Lyon, Peter (2008). Conflict between India and Pakistan : an encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1576077122. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Four Killed When Man Drives Truck Into Airport Reception Shouting "Down With Reds"". Associated Press. 2 November 1970.

Bibliography

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  • Gauhar, Altaf. "How Intelligence Agencies Run Our Politics". The Nation. September 1997: 4.
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