Robert Cawthome

Major-General Robert Cawthome
رابرٹ کیتھوموم

2nd Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence
In office 1950–1959
Preceded by	Syed Shahid Hamid
Succeeded by	Riaz Hussain

Personal details
Born	Robert Cawthome Australia
Died	England
Nationality	Pakistani
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom Pakistan
Service/branch	British Army Pakistan Army
Years of service	1947-1950
Rank	Major-General
Commands	Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence Chief of Staff
Battles/wars	World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

Sir Robert Cawthome (Urdu: رابرٹ کیتھوموم‎) was the founder of the Inter-Services Intelligence. He served as two star Major-General in the Pakistan army and later as 2nd director general of the ISI. He also formed the Pakistan Army Corps of Signals.

Robert Bill Cawthome was born in Australia and was a major general in the British Indian Army in the British India. After independence of Pakistan and India, he moved to Pakistan and joined the newly formed Pakistan army. He formed Pakistan Army Corps of Signals and served as the Deputy Chief of Staff in the army. Cawthome founded the Inter-Services Intelligence in 1948 after Indo-Pak war which exposed weaknesses in intelligence gathering between the Pakistan Army, Air Force, Navy, IB and MI. The policies of the agency were his brain-child. He was promoted to two star Major-General in the army. In 1950 he became Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence preceding Syed Shahid Hamid. He was succeeded by Riaz Hussain in 1959. After his retirement, Cawthome moved back to the United Kingdom and lived there till his death. He still remains the longest-serving DG ISI, serving in the position for nine years.