امریکی حکومت کی جانب سے سی آئی اے کے کئی تفتیشی افسران اور کنٹریکٹرز سے اختیارات کے ناجائز استعمال کی تحقیقات کے لئے اٹارنی جنرل ہولڈر کو آزاد کونسل کے قیام کی ہدایت احتساب کی جانب پہلا قدم تو قرار دیا جا سکتا ہے، لیکن صرف یہی کچھ کرنا کافی نہیں ہے۔ الزام ثابت ہونے پر سی آئی اے کے افسران کے خلاف ممکنہ طور پر اختیارات سے تجاوز کا مقدمہ چل سکتا ہے کیونکہ محکمہ انصاف نے ان افسران کو لامحدود اختیارات تفویض نہیں کئے تھے۔
حق تو یہ ہے کہ تفتیشی افسران کے ساتھ اُن حکام کا بھی احتساب ہو جنہوں نے مجرمانہ اقدامات کئے۔ سی آئی اے کو ملزمان کے ساتھ نہایت سفاکانہ، ظالمانہ اور تشدد آمیز تفتیشی طریقے استعمال کرنے کی اجازت دینے والوں کو دائرہ قانون میں لانے کے بجائے صرف تفتیش کاروں سے تحقیقات کرنا حقیقی احتساب نہیں ہو گا بلکہ اس کا مطلب یہ لیا جائے گا کہ حقیقی کرداروں کے بجائے دوسروں کو قربانی کا بکرا بنایا جا رہا ہے ۔
اس سارے معاملے کی جامع تحقیقات وقت کی ضرورت ہے۔ احتساب کا یہ عمل صرف نچلے درجے کے افسران تک ہی محدود نہیں رہنا چاہیے بلکہ اس کا دائرہ اُن اعلیٰ شخصیات تک بھی بڑھایا جائے جو امریکی قوم کو تشدد کے راستے پر ڈالنے کی حقیقی ذمہ دار ہیں۔
اس سلسلے میں محکمہ انصاف کے لیگل کونسل کے وکلاء کو بھی شامل تفتیش کیا جائے جن کی قانونی پیچیدگیوں کے نتیجے میں آج حالات تحقیقات تک پہنچ چکے ہیں۔ محکمہ انصاف کے جان یو، جے بائی بی اور سٹیون بریڈبری سمیت کئی وکلاء نے سن 2002 سے لے کر سن2005 تک ایسی متعدد یادداشتیں لکھی ہیں کہ جن کا قانون دانوں نے غلط مطلب اخذ کیا اور سی آئی اے کو ملزمان سے تفتیش کے لئے تشدد کا راستہ اپنانے کا راستہ مل گیا۔ پھر سی آئی اے بھی پیچھے نہیں رہی اور مشتبہ ملزمان کو بند سلاخوں کے پیچھے رکھنے سمیت تشدد کا ہر حربہ آزما ڈالا۔ ملزمان کو برہنہ ہونے پر مجبور کیا اور کئی گھنٹے انتہائی تکلیف دہ صورتحال سے دو چار کئے رکھا۔ دوران تفتیش بیان اگلوانے کے لئے ملزمان کو برہنہ کر کے اُن کے جسموں پر پانی بھی پھینکا جاتا رہا۔
محکمہ انصاف کے قانون دانوں کی یہ ذمہ داری تھی کہ وہ سی آئی اے کو اس تمام عمل اور ملزمان کے ساتھ روا رکھے گئے طریقہ کار کے غیر قانونی ہونے سے آگاہ کرتے، لیکن قانونی الفاظ اور منطق کی غلط تشریح کرتے ہوئے وہ بھی ان طریقوں کے جائز ہونے کی سازش میں شریک رہے۔
اس معاملے کی شفاف تحقیقات تو اُسی وقت ممکن ہے جب بش کابینہ کے اُن حکام کو بھی شامل تفتیش کیا جائے جنہوں نے براہ راست یہ طریقے اپنانے کی منظوری دی۔ کہا جاتا ہے کہ بش انتظامیہ کے ان ارکان میں نائب صدر ڈک چینی، اٹارنی جنرل جان ایشکرافٹ، وہائٹ ہاؤس کے کونسل البرٹو گونزلز اور اُس وقت کی قومی سلامتی کی مشیر کونڈو لیزا رائس شامل ہیں۔ سابقہ امریکی صدر کی انتظامیہ میں شامل یہ تمام شخصیات نہ صرف بااثر اور طاقت ور تھیں بلکہ اُن کے ایک دوسرے کے ساتھ گہرے روابط بھی تھے، لیکن ان افراد کو کسی بھی طرح اس بات کی تحقیقات سے مبرا نہیں کیا جانا چاہیے کہ امریکی قوم کو تشدد کے راستے پر ڈالنے میں ان کا کتنا کردار اور عمل دخل تھا۔
فی الحال اس سوال کا جواب تو نہیں دیا جا سکتا کہ آیا ان بااثر شخصیات پر مقدمہ چل سکتا ہے یا نہیں، لیکن اس سوال کا جواب بالکل واضح ہے کہ یہ حکام سی آئی اے کے اُن جرائم میں برابر کے شریک ضرور رہے ہیں جن کے تحت ملزمان سے تفتیش کے لئے تشدد کا راستہ اپنایا گیا۔ اگر امریکی قوم صرف اُن لوگوں کو اس کا ذمہ دار سمجھتی ہے جن کے پاس کوئی سیاسی طاقت نہیں ہے تو پھر قانون کی حکمرانی کا مستقبل کیا ہو سکتا ہے؟
اہم نکتہ یہ ہے کہ امریکا میں اس تجربے سے پاکستان جیسی نئی اور ابھرتی ہوئی جمہوریت کے لئے کیا سبق پنہاں ہے؟ اگر پاکستان میں بھی احتساب کے نام پر صرف آئی ایس آئی کے چند افسران کو سزا دے دی جائے تو کیا امریکا آئی ایس آئی کے مبینہ غلط کاموں کی شکایتیں بند کر دے گا، میرا خیال ہے کہ ایسا نہیں ہو گا۔
امریکا کی طرح پاکستان میں بھی ماضی میں انٹیلی جنس اداروں نے طاقت کا غلط استعمال کیا ہے۔ مستقبل میں یہ مشق روکنے کے لئے ان اداروں کی اصلاحات کا معاملہ سرفہرست ہونا چاہیے۔ حکومت پاکستان کو جمہوریت کا مستحکم سفر شروع کرنے سے پہلے آئی ایس آئی کی غیر آئینی اور غیر قانونی سرگرمیوں کو درست کرنا چاہیے۔
حکومت پاکستان کو لازمی طور پر سول اور فوجی خفیہ اداروں کو الگ الگ کرنا ہو گا۔ آئی ایس آئی کے سابق ایجنٹس کی سول اداروں اور خصوصی طور پر آئی بی میں شمولیت محدود یا مکمل طور پر روک دی جانی چاہیے ۔ ایک ہی جیسی خدمات انجام دینے والے افراد کی ایک ادارے سے دوسرے ادارے میں منتقلی سے اداروں کی آزادی قائم نہیں رہتی۔
پاکستان کو پولیس فورس بھی مزید مضبوط اور تربیت یافتہ بنانے کی ضرورت ہے۔ اچھی تربیت یافتہ اور جدید ہتھیاروں سے لیس پولیس فورس دہشت گردوں کی سرگرمیاں روکنے میں بہترین کردار ادا کر سکتی ہے۔ فی الحال پاکستان میں یہ کام انٹیلی جنس ایجنسیاں کر رہی ہیں اور اس طرح انہیں ملکی سیاست میں اپنی سرگرمیوں کو قانونی حیثیت دینے کا جواز بھی مل جاتا ہے۔
امید کی جا سکتی ہے کہ حکومت پاکستان ایرک ہولڈر کے اس جرات مندانہ اقدام سے سبق سیکھتے ہوئے جمہوری اداروں کے استحکام کی کوششیں کرے گی اور اُن لوگوں کو انصاف کے کٹہرے میں لایا جائے گا جنہوں نے ہماری محبوب قوم کو اپنی خوہشات کی بھینٹ چڑھایا ہے
Ibrahim Sajid Malick is a Pakistani-American writer, technologist, and social entrepreneur. He has been writing on Pakistani society and politics since 1986. He has held several media, communications, and technology positions for organizations large and small. Mr. Malick graduated from New School for Social Research with a master’s degree in anthropology. He holds several technology and management certifications. He works for a leading technology firm and blogs at www.ibrahimsajidmalick.com
پاکستان نے پہلے کب سبق سیکھا ہے جو اب سیکھے گا؟
ISI again under attack, thats what they want, project ISI as a gang of bad guys…
america is playing games with pakistan..dont know what they want??
but ISI i doing its gr8 job…
like dude atif said isi is under attack again…
hurray for ISI!
ISI is holding Pakistan hostage..
Jab tak ISI say azadi nahi milay gee Pakistan ka kuch nahi ho gaa.
IB ko mazboot karo – ISI ko investigate karo!
Police ko mazboot karo – ISI ko control karoo!
Democracy Zindabad!
Pakistani Awam Zindabad!
Mujeeb – very well said. Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau (IB) is more important institution than ISI. IB is Pakistan’s main domestic intelligence and espionage agency. It is part of the Ministry of Interior of Pakistan. The IB’s tasks include counter-intelligence and internal Security matters. And the current Director-General Javed Noor IB is making serious progress. The present day IB was created from elements available upon Pakistan’s independence. It was initially the main Pakistani Agency, with responsibility for strategic and foreign intelligence, as well as counter-espionage and domestic affairs. But with successive military dictatorship- ISI became the most powerful agency.
پاکستان کا حل برا ہے اور جب تک فوجی حکومت کرینگے ہمارا حال خراب ہی رہے گا
جمہوریت کو مضبوط کرنا بوہت ضروری ہے
Please think for the future for prosperity of common people otherwise this blame game will spoil us all.
Longlive PAKISTAN
This land is full of energetic intellectuals who can & inshaAllah will bring PAKISTAN a greatest nation around the globe
jo guzer gia us ko chodo agy ki socho
All crimes happen in past- if we forgive ISI’s crime and Musharaff’s crime why not let everyone out of jails in Pakistan as well?
Jab tak Generals and Colonels are not tried and sentenced they will continue to commit crimes.
Awan Sb- bohat khoob. Obama was saying the same thing before and I hear it always “let bygone be bygone”. But ISI should be brought to justice for all those who have disappeared from our country.
Agents of ISI demoralize people by saying that all politicians are corrupt and cannot be trusted. ISI and Army generals are corrupt and criminals. THEY SHOULD NEVER BE TRUSTED.
Democracy in any shape or form is better than dictatorship.
Very good article. Why not publish this in English as well. Zardari and Gillani should have the courage to reign in the ISI. ISI should explain what happened to Pakistani people who are missing. Army should tells us how they looted our money. And, how they have pitted politicians against each other.
Do you know how many Pakistani journalists are on ISI parole? Pretty much all of them. Even those who are not- they act as if they are.
Pakistan’s security problem can be addressed by empowering law and order organizations under civilian control.
ISI pursues its own agenda for its own reasons. And civilian leaders have been too hesitant to challenge it. ISI operates under its own definition of Pakistan’s national interest – and has shown a particular obsession with India.
Over the years, the ISI has received plenty of outside help. In the 1980s, the CIA cooperated with the ISI and Saudi intelligence in funding, training, and arming Afghan and foreign guerrillas to fight the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. This proxy war was initiated by former President Jimmy Carter and expanded under Ronald Reagan. It succeeded in driving the Red Army out of Afghanistan. But it also drew in violent Islamists from many countries who coalesced in terrorist networks, the most notorious of which became Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda.
In the mid-1990s, the ISI sponsored the Taliban. The aim was to have an allied force in control of Afghanistan, to prevent India from extending its influence there, and to provide the ISI with training camps outside Pakistan for groups conducting operations in Indian-ruled Kashmir. Today, some of those terrorist groups are turning their fury against the established order in Pakistan.
Pakistan needs to recognize its own interest in remolding and redirecting the agency, so it can extinguish a terrorist fire that may otherwise consume Pakistan itself.
The US Central Intelligence Agency has admitted “concealing significant actions” from Congress for years during the Bush administration, prompting the chairman of the House of Representatives intelligence committee to accuse the agency of having “affirmatively lied”.
Members of Congress say the CIA director, Leon Panetta, made the admission at a closed session last month.
The CIA admission came to light after seven Democratic members of the House intelligence committee wrote to Panetta demanding he correct a statement in May in which he denied Pelosi’s assertions, saying that it is not the agency’s “policy or practice to mislead Congress”.
“Recently you testified that you have determined that top CIA officials have concealed significant actions from all members of Congress, and misled members for a number of years from 2001 to this week,” the letter said. “This is similar to other deceptions of which we are aware from other recent periods.”
However Republicans on the intelligence committee challenged the Democrats characterization of the extent of Panetta’s admission.
The US Central Intelligence Agency used tough interrogation techniques on suspected Al-Qaeda prisoners for nearly seven years without ever seeking a serious assessment of the effectiveness of its methods.CIA inspector general circulated drafts of a report that raised deep concerns about waterboarding and other methods.
But neither this nor other audits examined the effectiveness of interrogation techniques in detail, or sought to scrutinize assertions by CIA counter-terrorism officials that enhanced interrogation methods were essential to the program’s results, the paper noted.
One report by a former government official, who was not an interrogation expert, was about 10 pages long and amounted to a glowing review of interrogation efforts, it said.
“Nobody with expertise or experience in interrogation ever took a rigorous, systematic review of the various techniques — enhanced or otherwise — to see what resulted in the best information,” the paper quoted one unnamed senior US intelligence official as saying.
If we had a man of good character in the White House then we would have an investigation into war crimes that would follow them wherever the trail led.
Instead we have Obama. He has indicated that as far as he’s concerned some people are above the law. And he appointed Holder who apparently will accept the excuse “I was following orders” as an iron clad excuse for war crimes.
So instead of an investigation of the highest we’ll have an Abu Ghraib style goat hunt for a few low level sacrifices.
This is a VERY sad day for America.
Yes, the torturing and upper level authorization should be further investigated and exposed–not for political (dem/repub) gain but for the good of the country. And to emphasize to the world what we will and won’t do to get information.
Thirty-five years ago, the process of high-level pardons in U.S. government started a steeper moral decline. In 1974, President Ford pardoned ex-President Nixon for his part in Watergate deceptions. Ford said he granted the pardon “for the good of the country.” In 1980, President Reagan’s staff broke the law in providing missiles to Iran for hostages. Those found guilty in the Iran-Contra scandal were pardoned by President Bush (Sr.) because he felt they’d suffered enough. Then the S&L scandal in the late 1980′s, the Keating Five (including McCain and John Glenn who were let off with the finding that “they used bad judgment.”) Then Bill Clinton was essentially let go regarding the Monica Lewinsky/Paula Jones episodes. Then Bush Jr. fabricating issues to start a war, letting Karl Rove off, etc. The higher level the perpetrator, the less likelihood of a penalty.
We can’t continue this way in the U.S. Cynicism runs deep. Credibility in government is in short supply. Now we’ve further been thrashed with the bailouts–the extortions. And the next generation will ask, “How could you just gloss over all of this?”
“President George W. Bush and his aides undoubtedly did what they thought was right. ”
this line from the press enrages me. how many new crimes against humanity and democracy have to be revealed before we can drop the pretense that they anything even resembling the best interests of this country in mind.
they were interested in FOUR things:
power
re-election
corporate welfare
money
we the people were not even on the radar. lets start telling the truth please.
Obama has to do something. Anything. Show us some of that change that was advertised before the election. The public will take anything. Something please. Keep Israel in line, bring the troops home and stop the illegal wars. Anything. Something. Health Care Reform or prosecution of war criminals involved in torture. The list is huge and the timing is right. To make a move and leave a mark.
This is probably the first time I’ve found myself in agreement with someone from the industry funded think tank, the Cato Institute. But great article Mr. Bandow, you echo my own thoughts on the matter to the tee. I think it’s a miscalculation of the grandest order to go after low ranking intelligence officers for torture. It just gives the supporters of torture handy patriotic icons to hold up as victims and distracts from pursuing the true architects of this crime from the Bush regime.
Just an aside to all you Libertarians: Was the eight years of the Bush regime really worth the tax cuts?
Snowball:
Please explain how we are responsible for the Bush regime.
The Republican obsession with tax cuts does nothing to advance libertarian ideals, which calls for less government on balance, in addition to strict limitations on what government may do and what matters it may address.
To us, tax cuts without concommitant spending cuts are pointlessly irresponsible.
In the recent past (lets go back go back to the Reagan regime) Republican tax cuts have been accompanied by greater acceleration of expansion in the scope and influence of government as compared to times of Democratic Party dominance.
Despite their fondness for limited government rhetoric, Republicans are actually much worse than the Dems from the libertarian perspective.
At least the Democrats are more disposed to the responsible approach of raising taxes to fund government expansion.
That’s probably why they’re not able to expand government quite as effectively as the Republicans.
The Republican’s record speaks for itself; their actions are the opposite of their rhetoric.
For us, the difference between the Democrats and Republicans is the difference between relatively honest authoritarian statists and hypocritical liars.
Former CIA officials directly involved or briefed on the highly classified program tell News that Lithuanian officials provided the CIA with a building on the outskirts of Vilnius, the country’s capital, where as many as eight suspects were held for more than a year, until late 2005 when they were moved because of public disclosures about the program. Flight logs viewed by ABC News confirm that CIA planes made repeated flights into Lithuania during that period.
The CIA told News that reporting the location of the now-closed prison was “irresponsible.”
“The CIA does not publicly discuss where facilities associated with its past detention program may or may not have been located,” said CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano. “We simply do not comment on those types of claims, which have appeared in the press from time to time over the years. The dangers of airing such allegations are plain. These kinds of assertions could, at least potentially, expose millions of people to direct threat. That is irresponsible.”
weneed to know a whole lot more about our gulag- where are all our prisons? ho many people are still locked up? i’ve heard estimates between 30 an 60 thousand, and it is not hard to get to big numbers- i think there are 3 big ones in Iraq, and so many others all around the world.
it seems wonderful that there are so few people who think something is just slightly amiss when the u.s. starts throwing its uncharged prisoners into a gulag that includes real, actual soviet era prisons. imagine how THAT must feel huh? oh migod i’m being tortured on a Joe Stalin rack!- look it’s got his signature!
i’m sure i missed some others please help me out.
nevergiveup i’d tell you what. sticking bush and cheney in jail
for a life sentence with all kinds of life extending drugs
would be fun. then add photos of all those murdered and
after a few years asking them if they thought if what they
did was right. leave “bruce” out of it.”bruce” would find these monsters quite repugnant! he likes humans only!
Attorney General Eric Holder is appointing a special prosecutor to review CIA interrogations of terrorist suspects. However, the investigation shouldn’t stop at the agency. No one should be above the law, especially top policymakers.
Investigating Bush administration policies and officials is bound to be controversial. President George W. Bush and his aides undoubtedly did what they thought was right. However, much of it was wrong. The Iraq war was foolish and unnecessary.
And there was no need to sacrifice the Constitution and civil liberties to protect the American people from terrorism. As Barack Obama observed in his inaugural address: “we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.” Those ideals require an impartial investigation of any Bush administration officials who may have violated the law.
The arguments against torture are obvious. First, many, if not most, interrogators believe other techniques are more effective and doubt torture yields accurate information. FBI Director Robert Mueller said that he didn’t “believe it to be the case” that any terrorist attacks had been thwarted by the Bush administration’s use of torture.
The Bush administration claimed that it did not torture, but the evidence is otherwise. Retired Lt. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba and Reagan White House attorney Robert Turner both spoke of “war crimes.” Susan Crawford, a retired (Republican) judge sent to Guantanamo Bay by the Defense Department, concluded that torture had occurred. As head of President Bush’s Office of Legal Counsel Jack Goldsmith revoked two legal opinions which had authorized torture.
Finally, prosecution must be considered. If high government officials can violate the law simply by claiming to believe that their actions are legal, then the law is meaningless. The U.S. government has prosecuted foreign officials and soldiers for war crimes, including torture. It must hold its own citizens to the same standard. To survive a democratic republic requires public accountability.
law must “not stop with the punishment of petty crimes by little people. It must also reach men who possess themselves of great power.” So, too, must it do so in America today.
I think pakistani will be cheated by usa every time because our leadership is under control of usa
Allah se duwa hi kar sakte hain keh pakistani huqmran usa ki khushamad chor dein
What you all people are talking about ISI and Generals dictatorships, some says IB better some says ISI. Please keep in mind all Pakistani Politicians, Technocrats, Bureaucrats, some most well known personalities in Pakistani including TV anchors (except few among them) are CIA, FBI & Rind sponsored and further more your total electronic, media some of the print media like the Dawn newspapers and The News English news papers and many more are all CIA sponsored and you will see and understand that when they talk/write they always pin point Islamic teaching of the Quran and Sunna and are totally against Islamic Sharia Law they always talk/write in favor of Dajaliat/Iblisiat/Taghotiat/nan-nehad American style of democracy means simply all the energies are served to protect western countries interests/policies/agendas.
How stupid you Pakistani people are and biggest drawback is still you dare to speak about who is right and who is wrong whereas you even don’t know what you are taking about. You Pakistani are simply the most bully people/nation in the world today, a nation who doesn’t know that their whole politicians are not only corrupt they are selling their mothers, country interests, most earning organization almost every thing just for the sake of dollars because they want to be rich in this world dam care about hereafter another word they are all traitors among them Altaf Hussain is No. 1 Indian sponsored and trained traitor you don’t even know this kind of big reality yet you talk about democracy what poor people of Pakistan have gained so far from democracy the American style democracy allows 2 % families to be imposed and remain in power to make sure no revolution should ever come in Pakistan and those 2 % families never disappoint western countries in implementing their 100 % agendas.
I think you peoples should keep your mouth shut because you are No 1 bully nation in the world and because of your traitor leaders Pakistan’s former government have allowed American to destroy Afghanistan, Iraq and now they are turning to Pakistan. I believe that the only thing that is saving Pakistan is the tableeg jamat they eat halal and always pray to Allah to save Pakistan from all hypocrites in all regards while in sajida crying and crying I have seen that personally and their prayers are acceptable by Alllah Bubhanahuwatalla that is why you are still breathing in Azadi otherwise Indian would have taken over Pakistan though not 100 % azad nation because of yous Pakistani leaders have sold themselves to the western countries and carryout the agenda of Christian and Jewish in Pakistan. May Allah give you Hidaya to understand your country’s matters/affairs with Aqlesaleemi and not with aqlesatani which electronic media is injecting and you believe their analysis and comments on all issues by closing your eyes.
ISI has never been against Pakistan sovernigity. Its the policians who when in power misuse ISI. Lets on look back into past n create hue and cry. Lets look foward. Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani rightly closed the political wing of ISI. Now its up to the politicians and decide whether they are with the democractic system or not. Personally i dont believe that our politicians will ever change. However, use of intelligence agencies must come to an end in political setup. Great nations always learn the lessons from past and mend themselves, and yes we are a great nation. We are changing, Army has rightly kept it self away from politics, we have independent judicial system, free media. People are literate and they can see the wrong doing of politicians. May be thats the reason that we dont have any single politican in Pakistan who can win the hearts of Paki people. Zardari for corruption, Nawaz for running away like coward, Altaf for violence. I wish Imran Khan could have been much more responsible but he also disoppointed, JI is now a buch of useless molvis who are confused between democray and sharait.
But I am not hopeless, I am hopefull that some thing good will soon come up for this nation. Pakistan will become what our grand parents dreamed of. But who will bring the change, its US, the youth. We need no army, no politicians.
If American think to capture Pakistan by CIA & Black Water then it is their blunder. It is neither Iraq nor Afghanistan. The more they live here and increase their marines number the more rage of Pakistanis will rise and a day will come when Zardari and Gilano will also flea from this land of sacred people.
Enough is enough and Americans must leave Pakistan and their emabassay must also be closed.
Only this is better for the sake and survival of Pakistan.
May Allah preserve the believers.
We should trail and punish all those who are responsible the present situation of Pakistan. This is very important for the peace of future, for the security of Pakistan.
کردار کچھ بھی ہو مگر بہت سے لوگ شرافت سے نہیں مانتے جیسے indian ں سدھرتے ہم نے ہر حربہ آزما ک دیکھ لیا ہے امریکا سے وو بھیںہر حکم لیتے ہیں.یہ کھل اب ختم ہونا چاہیے دوستی تو دوستی دشمنی تودشمنی …محمّد یوسف رند
سب سے بڑی غلطی یہ ہے کہ ہمارا معیار غلط ہے۔