Pakistan's new ISI chief Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum staying away from media, here's why

Since appointment of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Neem Anjum, re have been no images or videos of him released to media. It has now been revealed that Anjum has given out instructions to authorities in Pakistan to not release his images or video clips to media, stated PTI on Wednesday. Anjum was named Director General of ISI in November following a long standoff between civilian and military leership in Pakistan.

Anjum replaced Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, whose clip of having a conversation with a reporter in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul during Taliban takeover in August, h gone viral. Pakistan’s National Security Committee on Monday approved country’s first-ever National Security Policy. While high-level meeting was also attended by ISI Director General Anjum, pictures and video recordings of meeting released by government excluded him, News International reported.

A federal minister told newspaper that no images or videos of Anjum were released because ISI chief h instructed government authorities not to unveil any footage of any meeting that he attends. report ded that Anjum’s directions were also same reason why re were no photos of new ISI chief since his appointment. 

Ex-Pakistani official said it is basic principle of intelligence services

According to a former Pakistani official, Lt Gen Amj Shoaib (Retd.), it is basic principle of intelligence services to stay away from media’s limelight and maintain a certain sense of anonymity. However, as per report, Shoaib noted that re h been several instances in past when same principle was violated by government authorities. 

ex-Pakistani official even cited an example of Afghan war when images of n-ISI hes, Gen Hameed Gul and Gen Javed Nasir were released to media. Following promotion and his posting as GOC Quetta, Shoaib recalled that he was vised to stay away from media by General Abdul Waheed Kakar who was n Army chief.

ditionally, Maj Gen Ejaz Awan (Retd.), who served in ISI in past, said that Anjum appeared to be following pattern of doing his work without bagging any publicity from media. Ideally, Awan reportedly said, that people who he intelligence agencies should not be known. Inter-Services Intelligence or ISI is main intelligence agency.

(IMAGE: @DifaeyPakistan/Twitter)