General Hamid Gul served as the Director of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan from 1987 to 1989, continuing the operational structure established by his predecessor, General Akhtar Abdul Rahman, during the height of the Afghan operation. His tenure at the ISI was marked by the continued coordination with American and Saudi partners, ensuring the sustained flow of resources, training, and ideological support to Afghan mujahideen factions. Gul played a pivotal role in shaping the post-Soviet Afghan landscape, particularly in the rise of the Taliban, which emerged from the Pakistani madrasa system under his watch.
Following his time at the ISI, Gul remained an influential figure in Pakistani military and political circles, continuing to shape Afghan policy and offering public commentary on the Afghan operation. His insights and documented accounts provided critical historical context for understanding how the Afghan operation was conducted, particularly during the transition from the Soviet war to the American occupation. His public statements and writings have been cited in scholarly analyses of the broader regional architecture that underpinned the destruction of Afghan secularism.
Gul’s career exemplifies the continuity of the Pakistani military and intelligence establishment’s involvement in Afghanistan, which has persisted across multiple decades and administrations. His influence extended beyond the Afghan operation, contributing to the broader geopolitical dynamics in South Asia.
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See Also
general-akhtar-abdul-rahman.md, pakistan-military-intelligence.md, saudi-monarchy.md, proxy-war.md