Lt. Gen Zaheer-Ul-Islam Designated as New DG ISI

In a final end to the rumours of another service extension for Ahmed Shuja Pasha, the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, Lt Gen. Zaheerul Islam has been named as his successor.

Islam will take over the position on March 18, the day Pasha is due to retire as chief of the ISI.

Express News had reported earlier on Friday that the appointment of Lt Gen. Islam, who is currently the corps commander of Karachi, may be finalised later today, sources said. Islam is said to have a strong recommendation by President Asif Ali Zardari.

Islam has earlier served as the deputy director general of the ISI as a major general. He was then promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and moved to Karachi. He is said to be a disciplined and focused officer.

Consultations had been ongoing between the prime minister, president and the army chief. Sources said that the prime minister had told his cabinet ministers and advisers that they will announce the decision today.

Lt Gen. Pasha, who retires after having served a one-year extension in tenure granted to him in March 2011, had requested the army chief in December to relieve him of his duties as the ISI chief. Pasha, who has been accused of involvement in some political conspiracies during his tenure, served as the DG of the ISI when al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was found and killed in Abbottabad in May 2011.