What appointment of hardliner Faiz Hameed as ISI boss means to India

New Delhi, June 17: Pakistan's spy agency, the ISI has a new boss. Lt General Faiz Hameed, a hardliner was appointed as the new chief of the power Inter Services Intelligence.

He replaced Lt General Asim Munir, who was the chief for just 8 months. While Pakistan has not spelt out the reason behind the re-shuffle, analysts term Hameed as a hardliner.

His appointment also comes in the wake of Indo-Pak relations remaining tense and also at an all time low. Hameed is considered as a very powerful personality within the ISI and also wields a great amount of influence.

It may be recalled that he had brokered talks in 2017, when protesters blocked the roads to Islamabad. This incident had stoked civilian-military tensions and Hameed stepped into broker talks, which went on to be known as the Faizabad Agreement.

Officials in India say that with the appointment of a hardliner, Pakistan is sending a message that it would not be backing down. He has the backing of the Pakistan Army and this signals that Pakistan would try and create more trouble along the border as well as Jammu and Kashmir.

In Hameed's appointment and the sudden replacement of Munir, it suggests that there would be no re-conciliatory note from Pakistan. Indian officials say that one could expect a more aggressive stand from Pakistan on key issues.