Resurrect the intelligence services

Islamabad, Jan. 4 (ANI): The recent high-profile terrorist attacks in Pakistan and India have drawn attention to the need for reform of the intelligence services.

The large number of Intelligence agencies in India and Pakistan seems to be inefficient with their tendencies to work against each other rather than as a team, the Dawn noted.

Another reason is the large size of under funded agencies working with poorly trained individuals. Often, the permanent employees of the intelligence agencies are neglected, while the part-timers from the police, civil service, and military, head the proceedings.

Continuous political interference in personnel management is also one of the major drawbacks of these intelligence agencies.

It is no secret that Indian and Pakistani governments use and abuse the intelligence resources for partisan or personal political gain.

Many successive governments in Pakistan have, meanwhile, considered it their right to purge and install intelligence personnel on the basis of their perceived political loyalties.

To resurrect the investigative agencies, governments of both the nations should stop interfering with the agencies' affairs. Secondly, an effective coordinating head is needed for all the intelligence agencies equipped with statutory powers.

Any drastic changes in the intelligence gathering mechanism can be of no use unless all the laws and procedures are studied and brought into effect properly.

A comprehensive review of existing postings and organisational structures would have to be undertaken as harmful gaps in the structure can obstruct the agency to be in sync with its objectives.

Finally, financial inputs and technological improvements should be made in the to upgrade the salary structure in all levels of the intelligence apparatus. (ANI)