How To Make Career as an Intelligence Officer in Pakistan?

 How To Make Career As An Intelligence Officer in Pakistan?

Pakistan Intelligence Agencies are referred to as the Pakistan Intelligence Community. Approximately 30 Intelligence Agencies are working in Pakistan ranging from the Armed Forces Intelligence Agencies to the Civilian, Government, and Police Intelligence Agencies and Spying Units. 

This article will guide you on How to make a career as an intelligence officer in Pakistan. The top 10 Best Intelligence Agencies of Pakistan have been discussed in this article while the best has been performed in order to make the article outstanding and to guide you on the Intelligence Officer Career in Pakistan. 

Intelligence Agencies of Pakistan

Different Intelligence Agencies are working in Pakistan to overlook the internal as well as external security matters of Pakistan. However, the most prominent ones of them are as under. 

Inter-Services of Intelligence (ISI)

National Intelligence Directorate (NID)

Intelligence Bureau (IB)

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)

Military Intelligence (MI)

Air Intelligence (AI)

Naval Intelligence (NI)

National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC)

National Accountability Bureau (NAB).  

Special Branch Punjab Police (SB)

Inter-Services of Intelligence (ISI)

ISI was founded in 1948 by a British General Major General Robert Cawthome and is the largest Intelligence Agency in Pakistan as well as world-renowned. In ISI civilians as well as army officials work together on the national security matters. The DG of ISI is a three-star general of the Pakistan Army and is appointed by the Chief Executive of Pakistan on the recommendations of the Army Chief of Pakistan.

ISI Divisions and Departments 

ISI has three wings and three deputy directors head these wings who report directly to the Director-General of ISI. The Three Wings of the ISI are as under. 

Internal Wing: Responsible For the Internal Security of Pakistan and overlook matters such as domestic counterintelligence, domestic intelligence, counterspying, and counter-terrorism. 

External Wing: Overlook matters related to the external security of Pakistan such as external intelligence, external counter-intelligence, and external spying. 

Foreign Relations Wing: The Foreign Relations Wing of the ISI overlooks Foreign Relations Intelligence and Diplomatic Intelligence and guides the Government of Pakistan on the matter of Foreign Relations with different countries. 

ISI Departments 

Political Internal Division: The Political Internal Division of the ISI is inactive since March 2012, however, it was active during the General Elections of 1965, 1977, 1985, 1988, and 1990. The main purpose of the Political Internal Division of ISI is to monitor the financial funding of the right-wing political sphere against the left-wing political sphere. 

SS Directorate: SS Directorate of the ISI  comprises officers from the Special Service Group of Pakistan (SSG) and monitors the terrorists groups that are active against Pakistan. The SS Directorate of the ISI operates in a very similar style to the FBI and NCS and conducts special operations against the terrorists. 

Joint Intelligence Technical: The Technical Department of the ISI deals with science and technology to advance the intelligence methods and techniques of ISI. It comprises of the Military Engineers and is working to advance the warfare technology of the Pakistan Army, Besides, this department also deals with electronic warfare attacks against Pakistan. 

In Joint Intelligence Technical there are also separate departments to deal with Biological and Chemical Attacks against Pakistan. 

Joint Signal Intelligence Bureau: This department of the ISI is dedicated to collect the intelligence information on the Indo-Pak Border. The main purpose of this department is to deal with Foreign non-communication electromagnetic radiations emitting from the technology other than that of Radioactive substances and Nuclear Facilities. 

Joint Intelligence Misc: Joint Intelligence Misc is dedicated to offensive intelligence operations in other countries. 

Joint Intelligence North: The Joint Intelligence North Wing of the ISI overlooks the matters related to Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas. 

Joint Counter-Intelligence Bureau: The Counter-Intelligence Bureau of the ISI has its focus on the counter-intelligence and reverts the actions of the enemy intelligence agencies.

Joint Intelligence Bureau: This wing of the ISI has its focus on anti-intelligence and anti-state activities like fake currency, fake drugs, and the terrorists groups operating against Pakistan like TTP. 

Joint Intelligence X: Joint Intelligence X acts as a hub between all the departments of ISI. It gathers information from all the departments of ISI and converts it into the shape of Reports and Presentations. 

Covert Action Division: The Covert Action Division of the ISI operates in a very similar way to the Special Activities Division of the CIA and is responsible for paramilitary as well as special operations. 

ISI Job and Responsibilities: 

Keeping in view all the above departments of ISI. Both specialized, armed forces personnel as well as civilians, are welcome to Join ISI. ISI officials are drawn from the Three Armed Forces of Pakistan namely the Army, Navy, and AirForce. Besides, the civilians are also appointed in ISI from the civilian intelligence agencies as well as Police keeping in view the different Management, Intelligence, and Operational Needs of ISI. 

How To Join ISI?

ISI Jobs are categorized into commissioned and non-commissioned Jobs. Both civilians and armed forces personnel can join ISI. In the case of civilians, recruitment is made through FPSC and the clearance of the FPSC Test and Interview is essential in this case. None of the Intelligence agencies in the world advertise jobs for hire. In fact, the ISI Jobs in Pakistan are advertised through the Ministry of Interior and are kept secret while advertisement will never speak that this recruitment is for ISI. 

You on your own have to obtain information about recruitment from the different Army and ISI Selection and Recruitment Centers situated across Pakistan. 

Both civilians as well as the personnel of Police, Intelligence Agencies, FBR, or law-enforcement agencies can join ISI. In this case, Law-Enforcement personnel is given more preference based on their experience.  

In the case of Army Personnel, you first have to go through the PMA Long Course and there is very strict criteria to get transferred to the ISI. 

The FPSC test consists of the knowledge from everyday life while various abilities of the candidate are checked like Common Sense, Intelligence, Problem Solving Abilities, Political Knowledge, Current Affairs, and his/her grip on the national and international affairs. 

After the successful clearance of the FPSC Exam, the shortlist candidates then have to go through the interview conducted by the joint committee of FPSC and ISI. Candidates are further shortlisted and the successful candidates are then sent to the Defense Services Intelligence Academy (DISA) Islamabad or various Intelligence Schools located across Pakistan.

After the successful completion of the training from the Intelligence Academy the candidate then sends to the different sections of ISI where they perform their services for the better will and future of Pakistan. Army Forces Personnel are the employees of the Pakistan Army while civilians in the ISI are considered workers of the Ministry of Interior. 

National Intelligence Directorate (NID)

The National Intelligence Directorate (NID) is a national intelligence authority of Pakistan working to integrate all the foreign, military as well as domestic intelligence in the national interest of Pakistan. NID not only works on internal and external security matters of Pakistan but also protects the interests of Pakistan abroad. 

NID was created in 2014 and serves as a hub for the 30 Intelligence Agencies of Pakistan in order to fight against terrorism effectively. Both civilians, as well as armed Intelligence Agencies, share information with NID. Later NID shares this information with Provincial Bodies such as Police. 

National Intelligence Directorate recruits the Ex-Intelligence Officers on the major posts. Besides, civilians are also hired at plenty of positions in NID like Assistant, Assistant Private Secretary, Stenotypist, UDC, LDC, and others. Jobs are advertised through the FPSC and the clearance of the FPSC Test and Interview is essential is this case. 

Ex-Intelligence, Military, and Law-Enforcement Officials with high-intelligent minds and skills are hired in the NID through a competitive and seamless process. The Skilled and Intelligent personnel upon deputation from the Armed Forces of Pakistan are selected, finalized, and get shortlisted for the NID. 

Intelligence Bureau 

Intelligence Bureau is the oldest intelligence agency of Pakistan founded on 17th August 1947 and is a civilian intelligence agency. IB responsibilities include Foreign Intelligence Matters and Counter-Intelligence. At the creation of Pakistan IB was the only Intelligence Institute in Pakistan which was responsible for local and Foreign Intelligence in addition to Counter-Spying and Domestic Affairs. 

Various IB Posts like Constable, Head-Constable, ASI, Sub-Inspector, Inspector, Assistant, Assistant Director, and Deputy Director are frequently get announced in newspapers. Physical Standards, Physical, and Medical Tests imply on the posts ranging from Constable to Inspector. In this case, FPSC or NTS can conduct the test, and the candidate is checked on English, Urdu, Islamiat, Current Affairs, Pakistan Studies, General Knowledge, Everyday Science, and Basic Arithmetic. 

Other Jobs in the Intelligence Bureau include Stenotypist (BS-14), DEO (BS-12), General Duty( BS-11), Office Management (BS-11), Tech (BS-11), Vehicle Mechanic (BS-11), Dark Room Assistant (BS-11), Lab-Assistant (BS-11), General Duty(BS-07), Office-Management(BS-07), Dispatch Rider( BS-04), Book-Binder( BS-03), NC (BS-01), Cook (BS-01), Mali (BS-01), and Waiter(BS-01), 

Physical Standards apply for General Duty jobs. In the case of Males, height should be 5.7 and chest 33-33.5. While in the case of Females height should be 5.2. Running of 1.6 Km is essential for both males and females in 8 and 10 minutes respectively. The age for all of the above-mentioned vacancies should be between 18-25 years.

NTS conducts the test for such vacancies based on Intelligence on different topics such as Verbal Intelligence, Non-Verbal Intelligence, Analogy, Classification, Missing Pattern, Completion Series, Age Problems, Jumbled Words Spelling, and Common Sense Questions. 

At Present, there is no act of Intelligence Bureau i.e. like FIA, and other Intelligence Agencies IB cannot arrest or detain a suspect. Instead, the Investigation process is made on the IB request and other law-enforcement holds the responsibility of it. 

The Probation period in IB is 5 Years. During this period your performance is observed and in accordance with your performance, you will be awarded to the Higher-Level grade or rank in IB. The work of IB is very-tough while allowances and salary in return are too low. The training Period for IB is 6 months and after 6 months you will get transferred to any of the IB-Headquarter located across Pakistan. 

In 1996 IB was awarded the rights by the Government to control information on Electronic, Mail, and Wire Medium. After 9/11 it played a prior role in War on Terror. Besides, IB also played a pivotal role in Karachi Operation Cleanup 1991-92 and 1994-96. 

Intelligence Bureau Pakistan Ranks: 

Intelligence Bureau Pakistan Ranks are very similar to the FIA. The agency in its structure has Constable, Head-Constable, ASI, Sub-Inspector, Inspector, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Director, Additional Director, Director-General, and Additional Director-General. 

The pay scale of the Intelligence Bureau constable is BS-07 and his/her salary is 35,000 while that of DG is BS-22 and his salary is 220,850 in accordance with the Basic Pay Scale of Government Employees defined in the budget 2020-2021. 

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) 

FIA was established by Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1975 as an equivalent to the American FBI after witnessing the Intelligence Failure of Pakistan in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. FIA is a law-enforcement agency and different departments are working under it in order to maintain law, rule, and order across Pakistan like Anti-Corruption, Economic Crime, FIA Academy, Anti-Human Smuggling, Counter-Terrorism, Immigration, Interpol, Integrated Border Management System, and Cyber Police in the form of the FIA Department National Response Center For Cybercrimes (NR3C). 

FIA Headquarters are located in Islamabad while it has divided Pakistan into 6 Zones and has its regional offices and police stations in all the cities of such 6 Zones. There is a DG in FIA, the head of the institution, while under DG differents departments and wings are headed by Directors, Additional Directors, Deputy Directors, and Assistant Directors respectively. 

Under Directors, the Investigation and Junior Level Ranks starts and are Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, ASI, Head-Constable, Constable, Driver Constables, and others. All the FIA departments are described above. Under departments, relative wings are established like Administration Branch, Monitoring Branch, Immigration Branch, Crime Branch, Legal Branch, Interpol Branch, and Counter-Terrorism Branch (SIG). 

FIA Hirings are currently open and they need a staff of 1257 officials ranging from the Additional Director General, Directors, Inspectors to the Sweeper (BS-01). To View Details about Test, Interview, and Hiring Click Here. To Become Inspector in FIA Click Here. 

Military Intelligence 

Military Intelligence also known as MI and is the Intelligence Agency of Pakistan and its headquarters are situated in the GHQ Army Headquarters Rawalpindi. MI has been one of the three main intelligence agencies of Pakistan. Unlike ISI, which is composed of both civilians as well as Army Officials, Military Intelligence consists of only Army Officials and they are uniformed. 

MI has been founded with the purpose to determine Military Capability, intelligence gathering, identifying and excluding sleeper cells, identify foreign agents as well as restricts the anti-state activities. Besides, MI also overlooks the matters within the Army and prevents Anti-Army Activities and Anti-State Activities. 

MI works in close coordination with Air Intelligence and Naval Intelligence of Pakistan. Only the personnel from the Army are selected and recruited in MI. 

School of Military Intelligence Murree

Pakistan Army School of Military Intelligence is located at Clifden Murree, approximately 50 KM North-East of Islamabad. Ths School since 1941 has been fulfilling the Intelligence Teaching of Pakistan Army and the officials of the prestigious armed intelligence institutions of Pakistan were once students in this intelligence school. 

The School has been a state of the art and hosts tons of facilities for the Intelligence Students like Dining Hall, TV Hall, Library, Technical Lab, and Auditorium for movies, and other recreational purposes. Besides, the gym for sports and fitness is also a part of this intelligence school, and the recreational tours of the Murree, Abbottabad, and Azad Kashmir are also a part of the course outline of the Intelligence Recruits. 

School of Military Intelligence Murree hosts the Intelligence Staff Course (ISC), 22 weeks, Officers Basic Intelligence Course (OBIC), 12 weeks,and Officers Advanced Intelligence Course (OAIC), 10 weeks. Besides, the special courses of 2-4 weeks on Negotiation, Intelligence, Cyber Intelligence, Technical Intelligence, Counter- Intelligence, and Counter-Terrorism and are taught in this prestigious Intelligence School. Such Intelligence Courses are essential for all Arms and Foreign Officers. 

National Crisis Management Cell

National Crisis Management Cell founded in 2001 is a local intelligence agency and institute of Pakistan under the direct control of the Ministry of Interior Pakistan. NCMC serves as a marketplace for all the Intelligence Agencies of Pakistan. 

NCMC manages the intelligence of Pakistan as well as also guides governments on tons of matters related to the national interest. Besides, it is also playing its role in Counter-Insurgency, and Counter-Intelligence. NCMC fights against domestic and foreign terrorism and also promotes the National Action Plan of Pakistan against the religious extremists. Guarding the security of the country is also in the objectives of NCMC. 

 National Accountability Bureau (NAB)

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is a Federal Institue working against corruption and to investigate the suspicious increment in the assets of the Burreacutes, Government Servants, MNAs, MPAs, and other like officers holding the Pakistani citizenship.

NAB is an Intelligence Agency that works on Economic Intelligence and works against the economic terrorism of the better goodwill of Pakistani and Pakistani Citizens. Besides, investigating the corruption cases and justice or punishment in such cases is also in the duties of NAB. NAB is headed by the Justice (R) Javed Iqbal and has its headquarters in Islamabad as well as regional offices situated across Pakistan in the cities like Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Multan, and Sukkar. 

NAB launch investigations against Corruption at all levels including the public sector, private sector, state sector, defense sector, and corporate sector. Besides, it also conducts inquiries and issue warrants of suspects and criminals respectively. 

Special Branch Punjab Police

Special Branch is the intelligence and crime-fighting institute of Punjab Police Pakistan. Special Branch has its offices in all the districts of Punjab and is divided into 9 regions each headed by the SSP or SP of Police. The Jobs in the Special Branch Punjab Police are announced through the PPSC and the Test, Interview, Physical Test, and Medical Tests are the same as in the case of Punjab Police and FPSC. 

Numerous Wings are working under the Special Branch Punjab Police like Explosive Detection  Cell, Surveillance Wing, HR Branch, Dog Unit, Intelligence Wing (Criminal Spy), Information Technology, and other like departments. 

The ranks the posts in the Special Branch Punjab Police is very similar to the other Intelligence Agencies. They have Director-General of the Additional IG (BS-21) rank. Under the Director-General of the Punjab Police comes the Directors, Addl.Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, and the junior commissioned officers ranging from Inspectors to Constables. Besides, Assistant, Data Entry Operators, UDC, LDC, Technical Officer, Spy Operator, and drivers are also recruited. 

Special Branch Punjab Police acts and operates like other Intelligence Agencies in Pakistan and there are different departments working under it dedicated to different operations like Operations, Intelligence, Investigation, Technical, Counter-Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism, and others. They spy on wanted criminals or suspects and work on the principle "Everyone is equal in the eyes of Law". 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is the salary of ISI Agents?

ISI Agents are classified in accordance with the different Pak Army ranks like Second Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, and the non-commissioned ranks like Subedar, Havildar, and Naik, and the salary is made in accordance with these ranks. The salary of all the employees of ISI ranging from the sweeper, Major, Colonel, Assistant Director, Deputy Director to the DG-ISI is made in accordance with these ranks. 

What is the salary of the IB Chief?

The current IB chief is Dr.M Suleman Khan. He is the diligent PSP Officer of Grade BS-22 and his salary is 220,850

What are the ranks of the Pakistan Intelligence Bureau?

The ranks of the Intelligence Bureau of Pakistan are Constable, Head-Constable, Driver- Constable, ASI, Sub-Inspector, Inspector, Assistant-Director, Deputy-Director, Director, Additional Director, Director General, and Additional Director General. 

How To Report Fake Facebook ID?

FIA Cybercrime Cell acts as a Cyber Police and registers the crimes in the online world. You can report online crimes including the Fake Facebook ID to the FIA Cybercrime Cell NR3C. The Phone Number, in this case, is 9911 and the email of the NR3C is helpdesk@nr3c.gov.pk

Can NAB Investigate Corruption in Private Company?

Yes NAB can interrogate and can investigate the corruption in the private sector as well as in firms and corporate institutes.