Bunglers And Botchers

The new government of Zardari et al, if it is still new and if he still has anyone left with him, once again has succeeded in breaking its own previously set records of bunglings and botches. It hastily issued and promptly retracted, in record time, what may amount to be its worse gaffe yet. Two statements - one by Zardari himself, and the other by Press Information Department - accompanied the issuance and the retraction of orders, respectively.

The Prime Minister and Rehman Malik, the new beneficiary of the orders, had their heads in the air, literally, when the orders were issued. They both were flying over the Atlantic on their way to Washington. Zardari was in Dubai from where he issued a statement making it amply clear who was behind this goof up.

This is how the whole fiasco transpired.

First, the Cabinet Division issued a formal notification - a Memorandum - on Saturday saying that the all-powerful Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) - had been administratively, financially and operationally removed from the hands of Defence Ministry and given in the clutched of Rehman Malik's Interior Ministry, as per Rule 3 if the Constitution 1973. Intelligence Bureau (IB)was thrown in the deal for good measure.

This notification was followed by a Zardari statement, from his desert den, claiming "that the decision to place the ISI under the Interior Ministry is a step towards the civilian rule and also to save the Army from controversies and a bad name", he told the News. He further said that after this "historic decision" nobody would be able to "say that this agency is not under the control of an elected government as the Interior Ministry will be responsible for responding to the allegations against the ISI."

Then came the statement from the Press Information Department (PID) in an effort to retrieve the government's foot from its mouth. It said that "the notification regarding Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) has been misunderstood." By who? The statement did not clarify. The PID statement further said "the ISI would remain under prime minister"....And "more details in this regard will be given in a detailed notification."

Which means another notification is on its way. A detailed one!