Faith, Unity, Discipline: The Inter-Service-Intelligence of Pakistan

Faith, Unity, Discipline: The Inter-Service-Intelligence of Pakistan presents an investigation into Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, the ISI. The book examines the organization's evolution from its founding in 1948 through its involvement in regional conflicts and international relations. Author Hein Kiessling draws on extensive research and interviews with ISI officials to document the agency's operations, internal structure, and key historical moments. The narrative tracks the ISI's role in Afghanistan, Kashmir, and its relationships with other intelligence services including the CIA. The book analyzes how the ISI has influenced Pakistan's domestic politics and shaped the nation's foreign policy decisions over decades. This account explores the complex interplay between military, intelligence, and civilian leadership in Pakistan. Through its examination of the ISI, the book reveals broader themes about power, security, and institutional control in South Asia. The work contributes to understanding how intelligence agencies operate within emerging democracies and impact regional stability.

Readers describe this book as a detailed history of Pakistan's ISI, though some note it lacks revelation of new facts beyond what's already public knowledge. Liked: - Clear chronological structure - Extensive research and citations - Balanced perspective on ISI operations - Coverage of ISI's role in Afghanistan and Kashmir Disliked: - Relies heavily on secondary sources rather than insider accounts - Some sections read like a list of events without deeper analysis - Limited coverage of recent ISI activities post-2008 - Technical writing style can be dry Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (57 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (24 ratings) Notable reader comment: "Solid academic work but doesn't reveal much that isn't already known to those following Pakistani politics" - Goodreads reviewer Several readers mention the book serves better as a reference text than a narrative history, with one Amazon reviewer noting it "reads more like a dissertation than a book for general audiences."

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🔸 Author Hein Kiessling spent over 13 years in Pakistan conducting research and interviews for this book, gaining unprecedented access to former ISI chiefs and operatives. 🔸 The ISI was established in 1948 by British Army Officer Major General R. Cawthome, who served as Pakistan's Deputy Chief of Staff at the time. 🔸 The book reveals how the ISI played a crucial role in Operation Gibraltar in 1965, an undercover operation designed to infiltrate Indian-administered Kashmir. 🔸 Despite being published in 2016, this was one of the first comprehensive English-language books about Pakistan's intelligence agency, as most previous works focused only on specific operations or time periods. 🔸 The book details how the ISI transformed from a small military intelligence unit into one of the world's most powerful spy agencies, particularly during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s.