Last updated:January 14, 2025, 15:46 IST
“Saadat Mohammad serves as an ISI official tasked with gathering intelligence on Afghanistan’s aviation systems. He oversees an extensive network of informants and collaborators within the airport.” the official said.
File photo of a US military aircraft taking off from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021 (AP)
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has informants at Afghan air traffic controllers (ATCs) and airports, including information on air routes and manifests, according to sources close to Pakistan’s former vice president, Amrullah Saleh. It is said that there are spies collecting all kinds of information.
“Saadat Mohammad (passport number CF8157287) works as an ISI officer tasked with gathering intelligence on Afghanistan’s aviation system. The officer also sought to infiltrate GAAC, a UAE-owned company that manages Afghanistan’s four major airports, the official said.
According to sources, in February 2024, Mr. Mohammed held negotiations with the Taliban regarding a contract to manage the airport in Khost province. The Taliban balked at such a deal, saying it was too obvious and could be counterproductive, the people said.
Mohammad’s second proposal, which involved the careful placement of specific experts at host airports, was then agreed to in secret.
“This was accepted and all information regarding operations and activities at the host airport, including flight manifests, was then carefully communicated to Muhammad,” they said.
Indian sources say
Indian sources say money is a key issue in negotiating a deal with ISI, and the Taliban cannot see the impact of this data-sharing agreement.
“Once you have control over ATC, airport movement, and flight manifests, you can do anything. From hijackings to missile attacks, everything is an easy task, but the Taliban ignore this and “They are allowing people, especially Pakistanis, to enter their offices. This is not only information sharing but also dangerous from a security perspective,” the official said.
“The ISI’s snooping does not end here. The ISI conveniently sent one of its personnel to the negotiating team in 2024 when the Kabul embassy opened in New Delhi,” they said.
News18 had earlier reported that Afghanistan Green Trends (AGT) and Saleh said there were more than 150 ISI personnel at the Pakistani embassy in Kabul.
