Pakistan
ISI worries about protecting Chinese investments in troubled Balochistan

Pakistan, UAE
Emirati bankers extra-vigilant in Islamabad after fall of Imran Khan

In the space of just 10 days, Pakistan saw the deadline for repayment of a $2bn loan from the Emirates extended, Prime Minister Imran Khan brought down and Shebhaz Sharif appointed in his place. In this unstable period, the Emirati business community is keeping a close eye on its key assets in the country.

Afghanistan, China
Guoanbu calls on ISI to cooperate with Taliban secret services

Concerned by the security situation in Afghanistan, China has spoken with the Taliban in order to secure its interests, all with the help of Pakistani spymasters.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Islamabad seeks Saudi funds to finance military industry

Pakistan is strengthening its intelligence cooperation with Saudi Arabia and is also keen to see more Saudi investment in its defence industry, which was discussed at the first edition of the World Defense Show in Riyadh earlier this month.

The Agencies' Gazette
Rosfinmonitoring, Pakistan's ISI

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community, this week from Moscow and Islamabad.

RussiaFinancial intelligence gagged

PakistanInter-Services Intelligence Peshawar network slips up

Afghanistan, Qatar
Taliban seek funds to finance new army

Still persona non grata in international politics, the Taliban are hoping to negotiate their first contracts with the West and shed sanctions paralysing their ambitions in Afghanistan. The Biden administration does not, for the moment, have any plans to shift its position.

Pakistan
Islamabad tries to force Pakistani Talibans back to the border following truce breakdown

Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence believed that it could bring the country's Talibans back into line by organising a truce. Now that the truce has been broken, however, spy chiefs are concentrating on securing Pakistan's border with Afghanistan at the risk of alienating their allies in Kabul.

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh renews contact with Taliban via Pakistani intelligence

Saudi Arabia, which is keen to find a new role for itself in Afghanistan, has contacted Pakistan's omnipresent Inter-Services Intelligence, which is already engaged in helping rebuild the Taliban army. Riyadh sees Afghanistan as offering a new opportunity to counter the activities of its rival, Iran, which is watching the new Saudi-Pakistani partnership uneasily.

Pakistan
Afghan Taliban mediate between their Pakistani counterparts and the government in Islamabad

Faced with a resurgence in the activities of the Taliban Pakistani branch, Tehrik-i-Taliban, the Pakistani intelligence services have opted for dialogue rather than armed repression. They asked the new rulers in Afghanistan to negotiate a truce, which was finally concluded on 9 November.

Afghanistan, Pakistan
ISI concerned about alliance between Islamic State in Khorasan and Pakistan's Taliban

Despite the proximity between Islamabad's intelligence community and Kabul's new rulers, the strengthening of the Pakistani component of the Taliban, allied with Islamic State in Khorasan, is not to the liking of Pakistan's ISI spymasters.