Intelligence overview | |
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Formed | August 17, 1947 |
Jurisdiction | Government of Pakistan |
Headquarters | Islamabad, Pakistan |
Motto | Defence of Pakistan |
Annual budget | classified |
Intelligence executive |
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The Intelligence Bureau (Urdu: سراغرسانی کا دفتر; Reporting name: IB), is a civilian intelligence agency in Pakistan. Established in 1947, the IB is Pakistan's oldest intelligence agency. Appointments & supervision of its operations are authorized by Pakistan's Prime Minister.
The Intelligence Bureau originally part of the British Raj's Intelligence Bureau which was established by the British Army's Major General Sir Charles MacGregor who, at that time, was Quartermaster General and head of the Intelligence Department for the British Indian Army at Shimla, in 1885. Prior to this appointment, Major General Sir MacGregor was sent to British Indian Empire by the Queen Victoria. The IB's objectives were to monitor Russian troops deployments in Afghanistan, fearing a Russian invasion of British India through the North-West during the late 19th century.
In the aftermath of the independence of Pakistan by the British Crown, the IB, like the armed forces was partitioned, with a Pakistan IB created in Karachi. Since, the IB is the oldest intelligence community; others being the Military Intelligence (MI) of Pakistan's military. The IB was initially Pakistan's only and main intelligence agency with the responsibility for strategic and foreign intelligence, as well as counter-espionage and domestic affairs.