Ex-spymasters seek ‘deep state’ engagement

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 23

Amid ongoing bloodshed along the border, voices in Delhi on Wednesday sought engagement with Islamabad and its “deep state”, signifying Pakistan army and intelligence agencies that dictate the country’s foreign policy instead of the elected civilian government.

At the launch of a first of its kind book “Spy Chronicles — Raw, ISI and the Illusion Of Peace”, penned jointly by former spymasters AS Dulat of India’s RAW, Gen Assad Durrani of Pakistan’s ISI and journalist Aditya Sinha, the larger message was for the need for India-Pakistan dialogue to stop rising casualties on both sides. “I have suggested engage with deep state since most of our frustration comes from deep state. So we might as well take it on,” said the RAW ex-chief who worked closely on Kashmir during the Vajpayee years.

Former Vice President Hamid Ansari, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, Farooq Abdullah, Kapil Sibal, Yashwant Sinha, ex-Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon were among those present. Gen Durrani who was not allowed a visa by India, joked in a pre-recorded video: “It saved me from wrath of the hawks. If Kashmir has caused so much of heartburn, turn it into a test case of cooperation.” 

Yashwant Sinha stressed need to build trust with Kashmiris and hold backchannel talks involving spymasters as well. “A muscular policy is bound to be a brainless policy because muscles do not have brains,” remarked Sinha.