How
ISI threatens Islamabad, the beautiful
The Generals are ready to conquer
the Capital Hills
Special SAT Report
NEW YORK: Pakistan's well known spy agency, the ISI, is ready
to conquer a major hilly area, within Pakistan, the picturesque
Margalla Hills overlooking the Capital City, Islamabad.
Under
the garb of national security and protecting the military government,
soon
influential Generals will be enjoying the lofty hills for their
residences, overlooking the entire city.
According
to sources in President Musharraf’s delegation to New York,
ISI had almost forced a frightened woman Federal Minister for
Environment, Barrister Shahida Jamil, to allot 100 acres of land
in the Margalla Hills National Park, one of the big attractions
of the capital city.
The
agency wants to construct a new and “safe” Headquarter
as well as, quite intriguingly, a housing colony for its officers.
An official summary generated by Barrister Jamil’s ministry
has been sent to President Pervez Musharraf, for an urgent decision
on his return from USA. Approval is almost obvious.
The ISI bosses have argued with the Environment Ministry that
they all were feeling very insecure in the existing building of
ISI, located at Zero Point, on Aabpara Road in Islamabad. This
building could be targeted by the al-Qaeda activists or Indian
agents as it is located on one of the busiest road of Islamabad.
This
argument ignores the fact that the ISI building has never been
targeted in the past, although it was the hub of all the activity
during the entire war against the Soviet Union and the civil war
inside Afghanistan.
The
Environment Minister secretly approved the summary for President
Musharraf, before leaving to attend the summit on Environment
in South Africa. The allotment of the Park land would be a clear
violation of international laws governing the environment.
Anticipating
attacks on its offices, or to build up a case for the lucrative
Margalla Hills land, the ISI bosses have already closed one of
the side roads linking the Zero Point-Aabpara road to Blue Area
(commercial area) of the city and several armed personnel have
been posted.
Initially the Environment Ministry response was one of alarm as
giving away 100 acres on these hills would almost destroy the
whole area as a natural park which needed to be preserved. When
the ISI bosses learned about it, they immediately contacted the
Minister and “convinced” her about the immediate need
of 100 acres. The lady, naturally, could not resist the pressure.
Some
concerned officials of her Ministry, risking both their lives
and jobs, held a meeting with the Minister and told her about
the disastrous impact of her decision on the environment of Islamabad
and Margalla Hills. She was also informed about the negative international
reaction.
She was also told that once the gates were opened, other government
agencies will start moving in and soon the entire hill area will
be grabbed by one government agency or the other.
The
frightened Minister decided to get out of this dangerous game
and a way out to save her skin was found. She asked the concerned
staff to prepare a summary, giving both sides of the arguments,
and send it to the President for the final decision.
Officials
do not expect President Musharraf to turn down the proposal at
a time when he was totally dependent on the ISI, both for his
personal protection and advancement of his pro-US policies.
Thus
the first Musharraf Government decision to destroy the serene
environment of Islamabad, is just around the corner. And again,
the Generals would grab the best pieces for their homes.
The
ISI would practically start looking over every Islamabad resident
then.
