"The post of DG ISI falls within the purview of the Civil Services Act and all rules which run the civil bureaucracy apply to the selection of DG," a lawyer who deals with all matters relating to government servants stated. The Prime Minister, he said, has to justify to the President, in the summary, why an extension is essential in case of the incumbent DG ISI.
Speculation as to whether Director General (DG) of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha whose tenure will end on March 18, 2012 will get an extension are making the rounds in the federal capital. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday dismissed reports that he was considering a proposal to grant another extension to ISI chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha and said that decision on this issue would be made at an "appropriate time".
Section 14 of Civil Services Act allows the government to award an extension on the retirement of a civil servant and it is entirely at the discretion of the government to decide the extension period. Defence sources told this correspondent that Adjutant General at GHQ, Javed Iqbal, is a strong contender for the post. Other names also under consideration are: Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Wahid Arshad, Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Muhammad Zahirul Islam, and Corps Commander Peshawar Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani. There is no official confirmation of whether the army has recommended another extension for General Pasha or forwarded any other names to the government for the post of DG ISI.