” In 1979, General Akhtar was offered a very important and coveted position of Director General Inter-Services Intelligence. He headed the intelligence agency and built it as a very effective military institution which impacted both national and international affairs. Within the span off seven years he, along with his potential and loyal team, gave life to ISI and made it one of the most vibrant and effective institution. He conceived and crafted the plans to deal with the Soviet Union through the Afghan Mujahedeen and covert guerilla fighters from Pakistan. ”

” When Gen Akhtar took the command of ISI as DG, he started each and every task from the scratch. It was a very major task to provide assistance to Afghan Mujahedeen at every front. But there was no such strategy and plan to deal with all the emerging scenes, never dealt with by the Pak forces before. Gen Akhtar was solely responsible for devising and executing plans and organizing massive covert military operations against the Soviets. He established training centers and many army officials were made responsible to train the Afghan Mujahedeen, equipping them with warfare strategies and necessity skills so that they would be able to defend their homeland against the Soviet invasion.  ISI trained the guerrilla fighters and even a few army soldiers were trained to assist, guide and fight with the Mujahedeens in Afghanistan in the covert operations. ”

Mariam Shah

” The Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence grew. Zia’s choice for director general in 1979 was a Pashtun, Akhter Abdul Rehman , better known simply as General Akhter . He hated publicity and the press and avoided being photographed. Akhter, whom his subordinates described as” a cold, reserved personality, almost inscrutable, always secretive was a gifted intelligence officer, and he knew afghan world well. He developed close working ties to many of Afghan mujahedin leaders, especially fellow Pashtuns, and organized them into political parties to give more legitimacy to their struggle. Akhter also built strong ISI links to the CIA and the Saudis. He was the first director general of tha ISI that i met with. ”

” At Zia’s directions, Akhter vastly expanded the size and strength of the service. According to one estimate, the ISI went from a staff of 2000 in 1978 to 40000 employees and a billion dollar budget by 1988. It came to be seen in Pakistan as omnipotent, listening in on every phone call, planting informants in every village, city, block and public space. Politicians were on its payroll and the enemies simply disappeared. Much of its growth was design to keep Zia in power, but much of it was also to wage jihad. As one ot Akhter’s deputies would later say,” the ISI was and still is probably the most powerful and influential organization in the country”; he also remarked that Akhter was” regarded with envy or fear”, even by his fellow officers. ”

Bruce Riedel