Asif Ibrahim, considered an authority on minority community issues is inducted in NSA to focus on counter-terror issues
New Delhi : Former Intelligence Bureau (IB) director Asif Ibrahim (62), who retired in December, was on Friday accorded the second responsibility as ‘Special Envoy for Counter Terrorism and Extremism’ in the National Security Council secretariat, three days after he was named as ‘Special Envoy to West Asia and Afghanistan-Pakistan (AF-Pak) region’ on Tuesday.
A 1977 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, he is considered an authority on issues involving the minority community as he personally know many Muslim leaders and no surprise if his services are utilised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his new attempts to befriends the Muslims. Ibrahim is also said to have good contacts in the West Asian countries, particularly in the 6 lakh-strong Indian diaspora.
Officials said Ibrahim has been re-employed to the duel posts to work in tandem with National Security Adviser Ajit K Doval to evolve strategies to deal with radicalisation of youths in India due to rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and security challenges in Af-Pak region. Doval was himself an IB director until January 2005.
Ibrahim as a matter of fact becomes one of the key interlocutors with Pakistan. He rather replaces two former IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officers occupying the position as interlocutors in the UPA regime – C R Gharekhan for West Asia and S K Lambah for Afghanistan-Pakistan.
An official announcement said the Appointments Committee headed by Modi appointed him to the second post in the rank of the Secretary to the Government of India for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
An announcement after his first appointment had said that his responsibilities will cover the Indian response to the ferment in West Asia, rise of Islamic State in Syria-Iraq region as well as the flux in the Af-Pak region.
During his IB tenure, Ibrahim is credited with a virtual wipe-out of the top leadership of Pakistan-supported terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM) and successfully urged countries like Saudi Arabia not to give shelter to fugitives from Indian law.Top government sources said Ibrahim”s role will be on multiple fronts with focus within and outside the country.
“Asif Ibrahim will handle the de-radicalisation programme within the country to ensure that Indian youth do not get motivated by fundamentalists to join forces with either Islamic State or Al Qaida supported terror groups operating in Syria-Iraq region and Af-Pak region respectively,” said a senior official.
Ibrahim along with NSA Doval had worked in tandem to secure the release of Jesuit priest Alexis Prem Kumar last February after he was abducted by Taliban in Herat in Afghanistan in 2014. The two also travelled last year to the West Asia to secure the release of 39 labourers from Punjab held captive by IS in Mosul.
Given the Islamic radicalisation on the rise with the advent of IS and Al Qaida in the Indian subcontinent, Ibrahim will be the points person to present the Indian perspective at meetings all over the world. It is understood that Islamabad is concerned about Ibrahim”s role in Af-Pak and West Asian affairs as he is perceived to have a good working relationship with the Saudi royal family.
