After Pakistan Army chief Bajwa, ISI head issues strict orders to his commanders to stay away from politics

ISLAMABAD: The chief of Pakistan's spy agency ISI has issued strict orders to all commanders to stay away from politics following directives from Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa to offset a smear campaign against the military by ousted prime minister Imran Khan's party, according to a media report on Tuesday.

Lieutenant General Nadeem

Anjum, Director General (DG) of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), personally issued the instructions to his subordinates, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

They have been told in the strictest terms to stay away from politics and avoid any such activity, the report quoted a source as saying.

The spymaster further said that there would be zero-tolerance for violations and any intelligence official found violating the directives would have no place in the premier agency.

The development came a day after Army chief Bajwa directed his top commanders and key officers including those from the Inter-Services Intelligence to stay away from politics after leaders of ousted prime minister Khan-led party alleged that some officials of the country's intelligence agency were trying to "manipulate" the upcoming by-elections in Punjab.

Pakistan Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 73-plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) party has been leading a vicious campaign against the security establishment since the toppling of its government in April this year through a noconfidence motion, according to the paper.