Julian Richards - Pakistan's ISI: A Concise History of the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate

Julian Richards’ book Pakistan ISI is a deep dive into the narrative and history of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate. He explores the global impact of the ISI in detail, all while contextualizing its rise. To learn about his interest in Pakistan, challenges he faced, and the impact he hopes to make, read on for a Q&A with the author.

What influenced you to focus on violence in Pakistan in particular?

I have always been fascinated [by] Pakistan, given the very unusual circumstances in which it emerged from the Indian subcontinent. As the fifth most populous country in the world, it has the potential to do great things, but—like many countries—has been persistently held back by political violence. Trying to solve that riddle is at the center of Pakistan's potential for growth and stability. And, as an absolutely critical element of power at the heart of Pakistan, the ISI is central to that mission.

You mention that conspiracy theories and extreme ISI secrecy made it more complicated to write the book. As a result of this, what specific challenges did you face during the research process?

To a certain extent, this is a common challenge in the discipline of Intelligence Studies, particularly when looking at more contemporary issues where sensitivities are still high. In this case, the book had to be compiled from interviews, reported sources, and as much information as could be gleaned to build a picture, but we have to accept that reaching the very inner sanctum is always going to be virtually impossible for an agency such as this. So the book make[s] some assessments and judgments about what the information is telling us, and readers will have to decide what they make of that. The book never pretends to [detail] the absolute truth—only those on the inside can offer that.

How did you balance the inclusion of both criticism of the ISI and a “rounded, objective, and pragmatic assessment” of the conditions surrounding the ISI’s choices?

Most external analyses of the ISI are extremely critical…as there is much with which to take issue in terms of authoritarian behaviors and the clear repression of criticism and dissent within Pakistani journalism. I do not shirk from this criticism in my analysis, but I try to balance that with an understanding of the core mission of the agency in delivering security against terrorist[s] and other threats. Much of the time, on a day to day basis, officers within the ISI are trying to do a good job to the best of their abilities. Of course, this does not mean they are immune from criticism—far from it—but I think it is important to try to understand the picture in the round with all the contextual factors properly considered.

How did you decide which countries in the Global South were the best to compare to Pakistan?

There are many countries outside of Russia and the West which share some characteristics and historical experiences in terms of the development of their intelligence sector. It is sometimes difficult to ascribe simple categories to such countries, but post-colonial and post-authoritarian countries share many of the key challenges. Historical trajectories will vary; post-authoritarian countries in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and parts of Africa and Asia that have experienced military regimes are, of course, very different from each other in many ways. But it is often striking how some of the challenges in these regions have been similar to those in Pakistan.

What do you think is the most unique portion or perspective of this book?

I would probably say that the chapters on culture and particularly…the way that the ISI has been portrayed in popular media and culture mark this book out from some of the previous, excellent historical analyses of the agency. This, I hope, gives the book a very contemporary feel with wide appeal.

What impact do you hope this book has?

I hope that policy-makers and decision-shapers within Pakistan try to take the constructive criticism within the book to heart, and to take seriously the huge benefits that can flow for all the people in Pakistan in achieving substantive reform of the ISI and the intelligence sector more widely. The criticism is not there for its own sake, but to offer pointers for how things can improve in the future for the benefit of everyone. At the same time, I also hope that the wide range of people fascinated in this part of the world—in which I include myself—find the story stimulating and thought-provoking, and one that contributes to our knowledge of this most fascinating corner of Asia.