View source for Intelligence Bureau (Pakistan)

{{Short description|Domestic intelligence organisation of Pakistan}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox government agency
| agency_name     = Intelligence Bureau
| type            = Intelligence
| nativename      = {{nastaliq|انٹیلی جنس بیورو}}
| nativename_a    = 
| nativename_r    = 
| seal            = 
| seal_width      = 
| seal_caption    = 
| logo            = State_emblem_of_Pakistan.svg
| logo_width      = 
| logo_caption    = 
| formed          = {{Start date and age|1947|08|17}}
| jurisdiction    = [[Government of Pakistan]]
| headquarters    = [[Islamabad]], [[Pakistan]]
| motto           = 
| budget          = Classified
| chief1_name     = [[Fuad Asadullah Khan]], S.St, T.St, nsc
| chief1_position = [[Director General]]
| website         = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| footnotes       = 
}}

The '''Intelligence Bureau''' ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|انٹیلی جنس بیورو}}}} ; '''IB''') is an [[Intelligence service|intelligence]] and [[Security Agency|security agency]] in Pakistan, focused primarily on non-military intelligence. Established in 1947, the IB is Pakistan's oldest intelligence agency. It is led by the Director General (DG IB), who is usually an officer from the [[Law enforcement in Pakistan|Police Service of Pakistan]].

The [[government of Pakistan]] elevated the Intelligence Bureau status from a semi-autonomous agency to a Division, upgrading it to the equivalent of a Federal Ministry, under oversight of a [[Federal Secretary|federal secretary]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Web Desk |date=2024-02-19 |title=Intelligence Bureau gets 'division' status |url=https://arynews.tv/intelligence-bureau-gets-division-status/ |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=ARY NEWS |language=en-US}}</ref> Appointments and supervision of its operations are authorized by the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]].

==History==
The Intelligence Bureau traces its origin to the Central Special Branch, established on 23 December 1887 by the [[British Raj|British government in India]] to gather intelligence on political unrest. Its creation followed Secret Dispatch No. 11, dated 25 March 1887, in which [[R. A. Cross]], the [[Secretary of State for India]], sanctioned the proposal by [[Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava|Lord Dufferin]], the [[Viceroy of India]], to create a system for the "collection of secret and political intelligence in India".<ref name="Journal">{{cite journal|last1=Reshi|first1=Shabir Ahmad|last2=Dwivedi|first2=Seema|title=Growth & Development of Intelligence Apparatus during British Colonial Era in India|journal=International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention|date=April 2015|volume=4|issue=4|pages=13-19|url=https://www.ijhssi.org/papers/v4(4)/Version-2/C0442012019.pdf|access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref>

Dufferin proposed utilizing the [[Police forces of the states and union territories of India|police forces]] in British India and [[Indian Political Department|political officers]] in [[Lists of princely states of India|princely states]] for the "collection of intelligence on political, social and religious movements". He recommended the establishment of "special agencies" at both [[Government of India|central]] and [[Presidencies and provinces of British India|provincial]] headquarters. The Provincial Special Branches, under local government control, were tasked with sharing intelligence with the Central Special Branch.<ref name="Journal"/> Dufferin modelled the agency after the [[Third Section]] of [[Imperial Russia]]. To reduce expenses, the agency shared the manpower and facilities of the existing [[Thuggee and Dacoity Department]]. The General Superintendent of the Department was entrusted with the supervision of the Central Special Branch.<ref name="Basu">{{cite book|last1=Basu|first1=Saumitra|title=The History of Forensic Science in India|date=24 August 2021|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=978-1-000-41119-5|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_History_of_Forensic_Science_in_India/A7k6EAAAQBAJ?hl=en|access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref> The Provincial Special Branches were attached to the offices of either the [[Inspector General of Police]] or the [[chief secretary (India)|chief secretary]] of the respective provinces.<ref name="Basu"/>

In 1904, based on the recommendations of the Indian Police Commission (1902 – 1903) chaired by [[Andrew Henderson Leith Fraser|Andrew Fraser]], the [[Central Criminal Intelligence Department]]—also known as the Department of Criminal Intelligence (DCI)—was established.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Popplewell|first1=Richard James|title=Intelligence and Imperial Defence: British Intelligence and the Defence of the Indian Empire 1904-1924|date=1995|publisher=[[Frank Cass]]|location=London|isbn=978-1-135-23933-6|pages=42 - 52|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Intelligence_and_Imperial_Defence/XHh0DwAAQBAJ?hl=en|access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref> This reorganization led to the abolition of the Thuggee and Dacoity Department and the merger of the Central Special Branch into the DCI. Additionally, [[Criminal Investigation Department (India)|Criminal Investigation Departments]] (CID) were created in the provinces. Initially, Provincial Special Branches were incorporated into the CIDs, but they were later separated as their functions evolved.<ref name="Journal"/>

Section 40(2) of the [[Government of India Act 1919]] stated that "the Intelligence Bureau should keep the Government posted with matters relating to the security of the Indian Empire." Reflecting this directive, the DCI was renamed the Intelligence Bureau in 1920, a year before the Act formally came into force in 1921.<ref name="Basu"/>

In the aftermath of the [[Partition of India|independence]] of [[Pakistan]] by the [[United Kingdom|British Crown]], the IB, like the armed forces was partitioned, with a Pakistan IB created in Karachi.<ref name="Sona Printers (Pvt) ltd.">{{cite book|last1=Raman|first1=B.|title=Intelligence: Past, Present & Future|date=2002|publisher=Sona Printers (Pvt) ltd.|location=New Delhi, India|isbn=8170622220|pages=417|edition=2|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mTf1vRYx_U4C&q=intelligence+bureau+pakistan&pg=PA44|access-date=4 January 2015|chapter-format=google books|chapter=Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)}}</ref> Since, the IB is the oldest [[Pakistan Intelligence Community|intelligence community]]; others being the [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|Military Intelligence]] (MI) of Pakistan's [[Pakistan Military|military]].<ref name="Sona Printers (Pvt) ltd."/> The IB was initially Pakistan's only and main intelligence agency with the responsibility for strategic and foreign intelligences, as well as counter-espionage and domestic affairs.<ref name="Sona Printers (Pvt) ltd."/>

Its poor performance with the [[Military Intelligence (Pakistan)|MI]] and unsatisfactory detailing of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|war]] with [[India]] in 1947 was however considered less than exemplary. Due to the fact, IB was concerned with internal security matters, and was not set up for foreign intelligence collection. These considerations ultimately led to the creation of the [[Inter-Services Intelligence|ISI]] in 1948 as it quickly took the charge of gathering strategic and foreign intelligence at all levels of command.<ref name="Zed Press">{{cite book|last1=Todd|first1=Paul|last2=Bloch|first2=Jonathan|title=Global intelligence : the world's secret services today|date=2003|publisher=Zed Press|location=London|isbn=1842771132|edition=1. publ.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0gZ7sjNakKEC&q=intelligence+bureau+pakistan&pg=PR10|access-date=4 January 2015}}</ref>

Appointment for IB's [[Director-General]] are made by the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] but the appointment has to be confirmed by the [[President of Pakistan|President]].<ref name="The Nation, 2013">{{cite news|last1=Rana|first1=Asim Qadeer|title=Nawaz makes Aftab Sultan new IB chief|url=http://nation.com.pk/national/07-Jun-2013/nawaz-makes-aftab-sultan-new-ib-chief|access-date=4 January 2015|work=Report written by the Nation's reporter A.Q. Rana|agency=The Nation|publisher=The Nation, 2013|date=7 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="Express Tribune, 2013">{{cite news|last1=Ghauri|first1=Irfan|title=Aftab Sultan appointed DG Intelligence Bureau|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/559778/aftab-sultan-appointed-dg-intelligence-bureau/|access-date=4 January 2015|work=Irfan Ghauri published the report at the tribune.com.pk|agency=Express Tribune|publisher=Express Tribune, 2013|date=7 June 2013}}</ref> The IB is a civilian intelligence agency, and its [[Director-General|DG]] have been appointed from the [[Central Superior Services of Pakistan|civil bureaucracy]] and the [[Police Service of Pakistan|police]]; as well as retired [[Pakistani military|military]] officials have also served as DG IB.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

===Operations===
Since the 1950s–1980s, the IB was running active operations to monitor politicians, political activists, suspected terrorists, and suspected foreign intelligence agents.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}  Right after Dhaka Fall in 1971, the IB apprised the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] of coup discussions between the [[Commander-in-Chief]], [[Gul Hassan Khan]] and [[Air Chief Marshal]] [[Abdul Rahim Khan]]. Bhutto and his close aides, including [[Ghulam Mustafa Khar]], in a counter-coup invited both Generals to the President House under false pretenses and obtained their resignations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2016/09/why-do-coups-happen-in-pakistan-a-rejoinder/|title = Why do Coups Happen in Pakistan: A Rejoinder}}</ref> The IB keeps tabs on political operatives from countries it considers hostile to Pakistan's interests.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} In the 1990s, the IB gained international reputation when its agents had successfully infiltrated many of the terrorist organizations.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

In 1996, the IB was granted control of government censorship programs, controlling information dissemination via mail, wire, or electronic medium.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace" /> In the 1990s, the IB remained actively involved to curb [[Sectarian violence in Pakistan|sectarianism]] and the [[Religious fundamentalism|fundamentalism]] in the country. Many of its operations were directed towards infiltration, conducting [[espionage]], [[counterespionage]], and providing key information on terrorist organizations.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace">{{cite book|last1=Haqqani|first1=Husain|title=Pakistan between mosque and military|date=2005|publisher=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace|location=Washington, D.C.|isbn=0-87003-285-2}}</ref> After the disastrous [[9/11 Attack|9/11 terrorist attacks]] in the [[United States]], the IB played its [[Pakistan in the War on Terror|role as a stakeholder]] of the [[Government of Pakistan|government]].<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace" /> IB's successful infiltration techniques has led to the capture and detainment of many of high-profile terrorists and sectarian militants.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace" /> Moreover, it has been instrumental in efforts to break terrorist networks and organised crime rackets throughout the country especially Karachi through its sophisticated human and technical intelligence apparatus.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace" /> The agency had also been blamed for its belligerent role in [[Operation Clean-up]] at Karachi in 1991–92 and 1994–96.<ref name="Carnegie Endowment for International Peace" />

The IB is considered to be a main tool of the government to pacify opposition elements and is sometimes viewed as a government toppling machine. One case under discussion in the [[Supreme Court of Pakistan]] is for the alleged involvement of the agency in destabilizing the Punjab Government in 2008.

In 2019 after [[2019 Balakot airstrike|Indian airstrikes]] in Pakistan's [[Balakot]], IB managed to bust whole ring of local informers that mapped and provided crucial operations to Indian [[Research and Analysis Wing|RAW]] which helped [[Indian Air Force|IAF]] in locating its targets.

In January 2021, the IB caught a former militant, Salimullah, filming a strategic military installation in Kashmir for RAW.

IB successfully foiled [[Islamic State – Khorasan Province|ISIS-K]] plan to assassinate [[Arif Alvi|President Arif Alvi]] during president's [[Sibi]] visit in 2022.

[[Research and Analysis Wing|RAW]]'s nefarious plan to infiltrate spies into prominent military installations of [[Pakistan]] was countered by IB in 2022. The IB unmasked 25 Indian agents and successfully thwarted India's attempt to infiltrate [[Pakistan Armed Forces|Pakistan security apparatus]].

In yet another highly secretive and successful operation, a retired-[[Pakistan Rangers|Rangers]] commando, Muhammad Ali who was working as a hitman for [[Research and Analysis Wing|RAW]] by running an assassination cell within Pakistan that aimed to eliminate prominent Kashmiri militants was nabbed along with his accomplices in 2023. His entire cell was dismantled by IB. Later, it was revealed that Muhammad Ali was tasked by Indian agencies to eliminate [[Hafiz Saeed]] and other Kashmiri militant leaders residing inside Pakistan after [[Research and Analysis Wing|RAW's]] [[2021 Lahore bombing|failed assassination bid to eliminate Hafiz]] in 2021.

==Constitutionality and powers==
The IB agents have no formal arrest powers, and its suspects are often apprehended and interrogated by the [[Federal Investigation Agency|FIA]] agents at the request of the IB officials.<ref name="ABC-CLIO">{{cite book|last1=Lyon|first1=Peter|title=Conflict between India and Pakistan : an encyclopedia|date=2008|publisher=ABC-CLIO|location=Santa Barbara, Calif.|isbn=978-1576077122|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vLwOck15eboC&q=intelligence+bureau+pakistan&pg=PA84|access-date=4 January 2015}}</ref>

The IB also passes on intelligence gained through infiltration between other Pakistan's [[Pakistan Intelligence Community|intelligence community]], [[Pakistan police|police]], and other [[Law enforcement in Pakistan|Law enforcement]] units.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} The Bureau also grants the necessary security clearances to Pakistani diplomats and judges before they take the oath. Powers granted by the government, the IB also intercepts and opens regular mails and letters on a daily basis.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

== Designations ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Grade
!Designation/Rank
!Equivalent Police Ranks
|BS-7
|Constable
|Constable
|BS-9
|Head Constable
|-
|BS-11
|Assistant Sub-Inspector
|
|-
|BS-14
|Sub-Inspector
|
|-
|BS-16
|Inspector
|
|-
|BS-17
|Assistant Director
|Assistant Superintendent of Police
|-
|BS-18
|Deputy Director
|Superintendent of Police
|-
|BS-19
|Director
|Senior Superintendent of Police
|-
|BS-20
|Deputy Director General
|Deputy Inspector General of Police
|-
|BS-21
|Joint Director General
|Additional Inspector General of Police
|-
|BS-22
|Additional Director General
|Inspector General of Police
|-
|BS-22
|Director General
|(none)
|}

== Organization ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Directorates
!Executive figure
|-
|Sindh Provincial Headquarters (SPHQ), Karachi
|Joint Director General
|-
|Balochistan Provincial Headquarters (BPHQ), Quetta
|Joint Director General
|-
|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Headquarters (KPHQ), Peshawar
|Joint Director General
|-
|Punjab Provincial Headquarters (PPHQ), Lahore
|Joint Director General
|-
|Capital Region Headquarters (CRHQ), Islamabad
|Deputy Director General
|-
|Intelligence Bureau Academy, (IBA) Islamabad
|Joint Director General
|}

==List of IB officers killed in the line of duty==
{{more citations needed section|date=October 2017}}
*1993: Abdul Latif Baloch <ref>{{Cite news|title=Four Killed When Man Drives Truck Into Airport Reception Shouting "Down With Reds" |newspaper=Associated Press |date=2 November 1970 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19701102&id=gYUlAAAAIBAJ&pg=877,6134046}}</ref>
*1983: Aman-Ullah Khan, Director General
*2008: Khaliq uz zaman, Inspector
*2009: Qamar Anees Shaheed, Assistant Sub Inspector
*2010: Saif Ullah Khalid, Inspector
*2010: Kashif Khan
*2011: Hassan Raza
*2011: Alam Khan, Sub Inspector
*2011: Abdul Razzaq, Inspector
*2011: Arshad Ghayas, Assistant Sub Inspector
*2011: Siraj, Deputy Director
*2012: Qamar Raza
*2012: Bashir Khan, Inspector
*2013: Muhammad Ali, Sub-Inspector
*2013: Khawaja Abdul Wahab, Inspector Sargodha
*2013: Mazhar Awan, Sub Inspector Sargodha
*2013: Mazhar Ali, Sub Inspector Sargodha
*2013: Agha Aatif Khan, Assistant Sub Inspector Sargodha
*2013: Abdul Mueed Hamirani, Assistant Director
*2013: Sajid Hussain Zahidi, Assistant Director
*2014: Manan Shah, Inspector
*2014: Rana Saad Noorani
*2016: Usman Gul, Inspector
*2021: Khan Bahadur, Sub Inspector
*2022: Muzahir Hussain Bangash, APS
*2022: Amjad Khan, Assistant Sub inspector
*2022: Najeeb Khan, Assistant Sub inspector

==List of IB chiefs==
#Major Tayyab Raza, November 1982
#Brig. [[Imtiaz Ahmed (brigadier)|Imtiaz Ahmad]], 1990–1993
# Maj.(R) Masood Shareef 1993–1996
# Ch. Manzoor Ahmed (PSP) 1997 – August 1998
# Col (R) Iqbal Niazi, August 1998 – October 1999
# Major Gen Rafi Ullah Niazi 1999 – ?
# Maj Gen (R) Talat Munir, ? – October 2002
# Col (R) Bashir Wali Mohmmand, October 2002 – February 2003
# Brig (R) [[Ijaz Shah]], February 2004 – March 2008
# Tariq Ahmed Lodhi ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), March 2008 – August 2008
# Shoaib Suddle ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), August 2008 – May 2009
# Javed Noor ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), May 2009 – October 2011
# [[Akhtar Hassan Khan Gorchani|Akhter Hassan Gorchani]] ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), July 2012 – March 2013
# [[Aftab Sultan]] ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), June 2013 – June 2018
# Dr. Suleman Khan ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), May 2018 – July 2018
# Ihsan Ghani ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), July 2018 – August 2018
# Shujaat Ullah Qureshi ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|IB-cadre]]), August 2018 – September 2018 
# Dr Suleman Khan ([[Law enforcement in Pakistan|PSP]]), September 2018 – April 2022
# [[Fuad Asadullah Khan]] (IB-cadre) S(ST), T(ST), nsc, April 2022

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Gauhar, Altaf. "How Intelligence Agencies Run Our Politics". ''The Nation''. September 1997: 4.

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091011145345/http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-thirteen-spymasters-gather-to-stare-at-each-other-qs-03 Thirteen spymasters gather to stare at each other]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171029180329/http://pakpattansharif.com/ Former IB chiefs meet 'secretly' over dinner]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140814175215/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/Foreign-baddies-muscle-into-Tamil-cinema/2013/09/01/article1757724.ece Pakistani Defence Overview of Intelligence]
* [http://www.dawn.com/2004/02/26/top8.htm Brig (retd) Ejaz Shah]
* [http://www.dawn.com/2002/05/11/nat24.htm Maj (retd) Masood Sharif Khan Khattak]
* [http://tribune.com.pk/story/405048/ib-deputy-director-shot-dead-in-karachi/ IB deputy director shot dead in Karachi]
* [http://paktribune.com/news/IB-officer-shot-dead-in-Peshawar-247997.html IB officer shot dead in Peshawar]
* Supreme Court hearing case for involvement of IB in toppling Provincial Government {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130407233654/http://www.mail.cnbcpakistan.com/IB-funds-case-Supreme-Court-summons-DG-Intelligence-Bureau-news-12953.html]}}

{{Pakistani intelligence agencies}}
{{Domestic national intelligence agencies}}

[[Category:Intelligence Bureau (Pakistan)| ]]
[[Category:Pakistani intelligence agencies]]
[[Category:Pakistan federal departments and agencies]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1947]]