The Spy Chronicles
{{short description|2018 non-fiction book by Indian and Pakistani authors}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox book
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| name = The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace
| image = The_Spy_Chronicles_cover.jpg
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| caption = Cover of the first edition
| author = AS Dulat, Asad Durrani and Aditya Sinha
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| country = India
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| publisher = HarperCollins
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| pub_date = 2018
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| isbn = 978-9-352-77925-3
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| preceded_by =
| followed_by = Honour Among Spies (by Asad Durrani)
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The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace is a 2018 book in the format of a dialogue between two intelligence chiefs of India and Pakistan, AS Dulat and Asad Durrani, and moderated by Aditya Sinha.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/true-lies-and-spies-the-spy-chronicles-raw-isi-and-the-illusion-of-peace-book-review-as-dulat-aditya-sinha-asad-durrani-5200773/|title=True Lies and Spies|last=Singh|first=Sushant|date=2 June 2018|website=The Indian Express|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180609121058/http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/true-lies-and-spies-the-spy-chronicles-raw-isi-and-the-illusion-of-peace-book-review-as-dulat-aditya-sinha-asad-durrani-5200773/|archive-date=9 June 2018|access-date=3 March 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/05/22/an-indian-spook-and-a-pakistani-spy-decided-to-team-up-heres-what-happened-next/|title=An Indian spook and a Pakistani spy decided to team up. Here's what happened next.|last=Dutt|first=Barkha|date=22 May 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=3 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523062137/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/global-opinions/wp/2018/05/22/an-indian-spook-and-a-pakistani-spy-decided-to-team-up-heres-what-happened-next/|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/no-visa-to-ex-chief-of-isi-to-visit-india-for-book-launch/articleshow/64298172.cms|title=No visa to ex-chief of ISI to visit India for book launch|date=24 May 2018|website=The Times of India|agency=Press Trust of India|access-date=3 March 2019}} The conversations between the two intelligence chiefs took place during 2016 and 2017 in Istanbul, Kathmandu and Bangkok.{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/8oT3MdHZflMQxGNRT7cKMP/The-spies-who-turned-into-seers.html|title=The spies who turned into seers|last=Sarkar|first=Dipankar De|date=1 June 2018|website=Livemint|access-date=3 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-the-spy-chronicles-by-as-dulat-asad-durrani-and-aditya-sinha/story-ZBzDeQVXflsqBpOG7DYx2M.html|title=Review: The Spy Chronicles by AS Dulat, Asad Durrani and Aditya Sinha|last=Laskar|first=Rezaul H|date=8 June 2018|website=Hindustan Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816194411/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-the-spy-chronicles-by-as-dulat-asad-durrani-and-aditya-sinha/story-ZBzDeQVXflsqBpOG7DYx2M.html|archive-date=16 August 2018|access-date=3 March 2019}} AS Dulat is a former head of India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Lt. Gen. Asad Durrani is a former head of Pakistan's external agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and Aditya Sinha is an Indian journalist.
In 2020, Asad Durrani published a follow-up fictional book 'Honour Among Spies' about a Pakistani Lt General who faces repercussions for having co-authored a book with a former Indian intelligence chief.
Authors
=A. S. Dulat =
A. S. Dulat is a former special director of India's Intelligence Bureau and former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) from 1999 to 2000. After retirement he was appointed as advisor on Kashmir in the Prime Minister's Office and served there from January 2000 to May 2004.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/book-review-kashmir-the-vajpayee-years/|title=Book Review – AS Dulat's 'Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years'|date=11 July 2015}}
=Asad Durrani=
Lieutenant General Mohammad Asad Durrani is a retired 3-star rank general in the Pakistan Army and presently a commentator and speaker.Asad Durrani, [http://issi.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/1-Strategic-decision-making-in-Pakistan.pdf Strategic decision making in Pakistan], Strategic Studies Durrani previously served as the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence 1990-1991 and former director-general of the Pakistan Army's Military Intelligence 1988–1989.Muhammad Saleh Zaafir, [https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/319527-former-isi-raw-chiefs-co-author-book Former ISI, RAW chiefs co-author book], The News, 21 May 2018
=Aditya Sinha=
Aditya Sinha is an Indian author and journalist. He has been a journalist since 1987, occupying positions such as Editor-in-Chief of The New Indian Express and Daily News and Analysis (DNA). He has reported on terrorism in Punjab, Kashmir and Assam and has also done reporting from Peshawar, Pakistan. He started his journalistic career as a crime reporter in Delhi.{{Cite web|url=https://harpercollins.co.in/author-details/a-s-with-sinha-dulat/|title=Author Biographies, HarperCollins Publishers India, A.S. Dulat with Sinha|website=HarperCollins|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302193142/https://harpercollins.co.in/author-details/a-s-with-sinha-dulat/|archive-date=2 March 2019|access-date=2 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.exchange4media.com/people-movement-news/aditya-sinha-appointed-editor-in-chief-of-the-new-indian-express-25665.html|title=Aditya Sinha appointed Editor-in-Chief of The New Indian Express|last=Franko|first=Judy|date=14 April 2007|website=Exchange4media|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302194217/https://www.exchange4media.com/people-movement-news/aditya-sinha-appointed-editor-in-chief-of-the-new-indian-express-25665.html|archive-date=2 March 2019|access-date=2 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/culture/story/the-ceo-who-lost-his-head-book-review-aditya-sinha-fiction-lifest-965268-2017-03-12|title=Journalist Aditya Sinha's first fiction work revolves around a murder mystery|last=Karishma|first=Kuenzang|date=12 March 2017|website=India Today|access-date=2 March 2019}}
Description
The book covers various topics such as Kashmir, Afghanistan, Ajit Doval, trade wars, the deep state, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Osama bin Laden, Hafiz Saeed, Balochistan, the surgical strikes and Kulbhushan Jadhav among other things. In the book Dulat says that ISI is a more influential intelligence agency; however, Durrani observes that "R&AW is at least as good as we are” but discusses that R&AW may have the upper hand because it has "career intelligence officers" whereas ISI consists of army men.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/books/spy-chronicles-what-got-asad-durrani-into-trouble-with-isi|title=Spy Chronicles: What Got Gen Durrani Into Trouble With the ISI|date=5 June 2018|website=The Quint|access-date=3 March 2019}} In the book Durrani claims that Pakistan may have directed the American SEALs to Osama bin Laden in May 2011 as well as may have collected a payment for the cooperation and pretended to be surprised afterwards.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/world/asia/pakistan-asad-durrani-spy-chronicles-india.html|title=Pakistani Ex-Spy Chief Faces Inquiry Over Book With Indian Counterpart|last1=Abi-Habib|first1=Maria|date=29 May 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=3 March 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190303082257/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/world/asia/pakistan-asad-durrani-spy-chronicles-india.html|archive-date=3 March 2019|last2=Masood|first2=Salman|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Durrani also says that ISI's involvement in Kashmir has turned out to be less than successful.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/320560-no-isi-guy-ever-defected-or-caught-on-camera-ex-raw-chief|title=No ISI guy ever defected or caught on camera: ex-RAW chief|last=Syed|first=Azaz|date=24 May 2018|website=The News|access-date=3 March 2019}}
A.S. Dulat and Asad Durrani have previously collaborated, writing a paper together titled "Kashmir: Confrontation to Cooperation" in 2013 published by the University of Ottawa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1410540|title=Ex-ISI chief Asad Durrani's name to be placed on ECL after controversial book|date=28 May 2018|website=DAWN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131125238/https://www.dawn.com/news/1410540|archive-date=31 January 2019|access-date=10 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/7-days/spy-meets-spy/cid/1670228|title=Spy meets spy|date=26 January 2014|website=Telegraph India|access-date=10 March 2019}} In the book Durrani notes this in the opening chapter, which also mentions another collaboration between the two after the 59th Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs in 2011, when they co-authored an article on intelligence cooperation which was published in The Hindu and Dawn.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/indiapakistan-need-for-intelligence-cooperation/article2224644.ece|title=India-Pakistan: need for intelligence cooperation|last1=Dulat|first1=Amarjeet Singh|date=14 July 2011|work=The Hindu|access-date=10 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110191430/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/indiapakistan-need-for-intelligence-cooperation/article2224644.ece|archive-date=10 January 2018|last2=Durrani|first2=Asad|issn=0971-751X}}
Aditya Sinha says that the book has "no great revelations" but is "more about perspective" and "a metaphor for the actual relationship between the two countries."
Aftermath
The book was released jointly by former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and former Vice President of India Hamid Ansari as well as other dignitaries on 24 May 2018. The Indian government denied a visa to Asad Durrani to attend the book launch.
The publication of the book resulted in accusations of betrayal against Asad Durrani. On 28 May 2018, Pakistan placed Durrani on the "Exit Control List", barring him from leaving the country. An investigation headed by a three-star general was formed to ascertain whether Durrani violated Pakistan's military regulations. Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif demanded that the National Security Committee (NSC) should discuss the book.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2018/05/26/pakistan-army-summons-former-isi-head-over-book--spy-chronicles-.html|title=Pakistan Army summons former ISI head over book 'Spy Chronicles'|date=26 May 2018|website=The Week|location=Islamabad|agency=Press Trust of India|access-date=3 March 2019}} While addressing the Pakistan Senate in relation to the book, Raza Rabbani had said that if "a politician done the same thing he would have been labelled a traitor."{{Cite web|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/196800|title=Politician would've been termed 'traitor' for teaming up with Indian counterpart to pen book: Rabbani|last=Yusuf|first=Nausheen|date=25 May 2018|website=Geo TV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180525101305/https://www.geo.tv/latest/196800-wa-politician-teamed-up-with-an-indian-counterpart|archive-date=25 May 2018|access-date=10 March 2019}} However, in October 2018, Asad Durrani's lawyer said they had not received any notice of an inquiry and sought the removal of Asad Durrani's name from the Exit Control List.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1439802|title=IHC orders ministries to submit reports on former spy chief Durrani|last=Imran|first=Mohammad|date=18 October 2018|website=DAWN|access-date=10 March 2019}}
Shazar Shafat, a security analyst, suggests two reasons in South Asian Voices (hosted by The Stimson Center) as to why Asad Durrani may be facing the backlash. The first is related to Durrani's comments on Akhand Bharat in the book such as "Akhand Bharat isn't a fantasy that nowadays some are thinking" (though Dulat calls the idea of Akhand Bharat in the book a "crazy, impractical idea") and the second is in relation to comments on Kulbhushan Jadhav.{{Cite web|url=https://southasianvoices.org/understanding-controversy-spy-chronicles/|title=Understanding the Controversy Around Spy Chronicles|last=Shafqat|first=Shazar|date=31 May 2018|website=South Asian Voices|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310080003/https://southasianvoices.org/understanding-controversy-spy-chronicles/|archive-date=10 March 2019|access-date=10 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://tns.thenews.com.pk/illusions-controversy/|title=Illusions of controversy|last=Shahid|first=K K|date=3 June 2018|website=TNS – The News on Sunday|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310082024/http://tns.thenews.com.pk/illusions-controversy/|archive-date=10 March 2019|access-date=10 March 2019}} However, a report by CNN found that the book (as well as a pirated PDF version) was freely available in Pakistan and that the Pakistani government's "overreaction", according to Hassan Askari Rizvi and other defence analysts, may be because Durrani did not get prior permissions for such a book.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/31/asia/pakistan-isi-book-asad-durrani-intl/index.html|title=Ex-intelligence chief barred from leaving Pakistan over explosive book|last=Saifi|first=Sophia|date=31 May 2018|website=CNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615054341/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/31/asia/pakistan-isi-book-asad-durrani-intl/index.html|archive-date=15 June 2018|access-date=10 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1410634|title=Army to investigate former ISI chief over claims in book|last=Syed|first=Baqir Sajjad|date=29 May 2018|website=DAWN|access-date=10 March 2019}}
On 22 February 2019, Asad Durrani was found guilty of violating Pakistan's Military Code of Conduct for co-writing the book.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/asad-durrani-guilty-pak-military-code-of-conduct-spy-chronicles-dulat-1462489-2019-02-22|title=Ex-ISI boss Asad Durrani found guilty of violating Pak military code for writing book with RAW chief|date=22 February 2019|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=3 March 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/pakistan-army-holds-former-isi-chief-asad-durrani-guilty-of-violating-military-code-of-conduct/articleshow/68115941.cms|title=Pakistan Army holds former ISI chief Asad Durrani guilty of violating military code of conduct|date=22 February 2019|work=The Economic Times|access-date=3 March 2019|agency=Press Trust of India}} Asad Durrani's pension and other allowances have been withdrawn, and it is yet to be decided if he should be taken off the Exit Control List.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1465527|title=Army chief warns India against 'misadventure'|last=Syed|first=Baqir Sajjad|date=23 February 2019|website=DAWN|access-date=10 March 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://theprint.in/governance/ex-isi-chief-durrani-who-admitted-to-creation-of-hurriyat-stripped-of-pension-benefits/196924/|title=Ex-ISI chief Durrani, who admitted to creation of Hurriyat, stripped of pension benefits|last=Malhotra|first=Jyoti|date=23 February 2019|work=The Print|access-date=3 March 2019}}
= ''Honour Among Spies'' =
In 2020, Asad Durrani published a new book called Honour Among Spies. In spite of the disclaimer, "though inspired by some real events, this is a work of fiction" and "any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, being entirely coincidental", commentators have noted that the hero, Pakistani Lt General Osama Barakzai, is Asad Durani. In the book General Barakzai faces repercussions for co-authoring a book with Indian ex-spy chief Randhir Singh.{{Cite web|last=Sood|first=Rakesh|date=21 November 2020|title=Pakistan: Where fact and fiction come together|url=https://www.orfonline.org/research/pakistan-where-fact-and-fiction-come-together/|access-date=2020-11-25|website=ORF|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Nayar|first=Mandira|date=18 November 2020|title=War is already on, says ex-ISI chief Asad Durrani on India-Pakistan relationship|url=https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2020/11/18/war-is-already-on-says-ex-isi-chief-asad-durrani-on-india-pakistan-relationship.html|access-date=2020-11-25|website=The Week|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Malhotra|first=Jyoti|date=2020-11-17|title=Barack Obama memoir says a lot. But it's ex-ISI chief Asad Durrani's book that needs attention|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/global-print/barack-obama-memoir-says-lot-but-ex-isi-chief-asad-durrani-book-needs-attention/545994/|access-date=2020-11-25|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Banerji|first=Rana|date=16 November 2020|title=A former ISI chief's sensational story|url=https://www.rediff.com/news/column/rana-banerji-a-former-isi-chiefs-sensational-story/20201116.htm|access-date=2020-11-25|website=Rediff|language=en}}
See also
References
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Further reading
- Asad Durrani, A.S. Dulat (October 2013). [https://socialsciences.uottawa.ca/dialogue/sites/socialsciences.uottawa.ca.dialogue/files/jointpaperonkashmir_0.pdf Kashmir: Confrontation to Cooperation]. University of Ottawa. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190310073951/https://socialsciences.uottawa.ca/dialogue/sites/socialsciences.uottawa.ca.dialogue/files/jointpaperonkashmir_0.pdf Archived] on 10 March 2019.
- Asad Durrani, A.S. Dulat (July 2011). [https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/indiapakistan-need-for-intelligence-cooperation/article2224644.ece India-Pakistan: need for intelligence cooperation]. The Hindu. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180110191430/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/indiapakistan-need-for-intelligence-cooperation/article2224644.ece Archived] on 19 January 2018.