Pakistan has officially fired a former director of its powerful intelligence agency and ordered him not to leave the country after co-authoring a controversial book with his Indian counterpart. Asad Durrani is a retired Pakistani Army General who served as Director General of the Pakistan Military Intelligence Directorate between 1988 and 1989. From 1990 to 1992 he was Director of Intelligent Inter-Services Directorate, probably the most powerful government institution in Pakistan. Durrani, 77, has been harshly criticized in some Pakistani circles for co-producing a book entitled The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and Illusion of Peace, with his Indian counterpart, AS Daulat. Daulat, 78, headed the research and analysis wing of India from 1999 to 2000.
The book, which was edited by well-known Indian journalist Aditya Sinha, has drawn heavy criticism of its two co-authors in nationalist circles in the two rival regional powers. But Durrani's stance became more tenuous on Monday after the Pakistani government announced it would subject the Pakistani general to a formal investigation. Pakistani army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters in Islamabad on Monday that the revelations made in Lieutenant General Durrani's book will be examined by an official court of inquiry, led by a three-star general. He also said Durrani was urgently called to the Pakistani army headquarters to respond to allegations of violating the Pakistani military code of conduct. Additionally, Ghafoor announced that Durrani has been placed on a government-administered "exit checklist," meaning he is not allowed to leave Pakistan until further notice.
The Pakistani military has not explained the precise reasons why Durrani is under investigation. His book makes several controversial allegations related to Islamabad's intelligence operations. Much of the book contains details of Pakistan's systematic efforts to stir up armed unrest in the highly Muslim Indian state of Kashmir, for example by funding and training a number of Islamic paramilitary organizations operating in the disputed region. The book also claims that the Pakistani government was aware of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts in 2011 and that it collaborated closely with the United States to kill al-Qaeda's co-founder. Islamabad has consistently denied the accusations of having learned of bin Laden's hiding place in the city of Abbottabad and of having given permission for US Special Forces troops to make the operational arrival. If Durrani is accused of violating the Pakistani military code of conduct, he could face at least two years in prison.