John Kiriakou, a veteran CIA officer who helmed counterterrorism operations in Pakistan, has offered a rare and candid perspective on the futility of Islamabad’s military policies towards India.

In an interview with ANI, he stated unequivocally that Pakistan would stand no chance in a conventional war against India, stressing that any attempt to provoke conflict would serve no tangible purpose.

He remarked that Pakistan’s leadership must come to terms with the reality that “nothing good will come from a war with India,” and that continued provocation only guarantees its own strategic setback.

Kiriakou recalled that following the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the CIA and other US agencies were convinced that India and Pakistan were on the brink of war. During this phase, known as Operation Parakram, Washington even issued evacuation notices for American citizens in Islamabad, fearing a rapid escalation.

Despite these fears, US intelligence, at that time heavily preoccupied with the Al Qaeda threat in Afghanistan, did not allocate due attention to India’s security concerns, a stance which he now characterises as short-sighted.

Drawing from his field experiences, Kiriakou claimed that the Pentagon effectively maintained control over Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal during the Musharraf era. According to him, Pakistani authorities had quietly handed over oversight responsibilities to the United States, ensuring external supervision of its nuclear assets to prevent instability or misuse.

Reflecting on India’s approach over the years, Kiriakou recognised New Delhi’s pattern of decisive retaliation following major terror attacks. He cited India’s surgical strikes in 2016, the Balakot airstrikes in 2019, and most recently, Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam massacre earlier this year, as examples of measured but forceful responses. He noted that despite Pakistan’s attempts at nuclear bluff and rhetorical escalation, India’s warning against such blackmail has been firm. Islamabad was reportedly forced to seek a ceasefire amid its inability to effectively target Indian cities despite repeated efforts to do so.

In a striking disclosure, Kiriakou also revealed that the US could have neutralised Abdul Qadeer Khan, the architect of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme, but refrained from doing so under pressure from Saudi Arabia.

He explained that Washington officials knew Khan’s daily routine and location but were asked by Riyadh to leave him alone, as the Saudis maintained cooperative ties with the Pakistani scientist. This episode, he suggested, underscored the complex nexus of strategic interests involving Pakistan and its Gulf allies.

Kiriakou’s reputation as a whistle blower stems from his 2007 exposure of the CIA’s controversial torture and interrogation programme, which he criticised on ethical grounds. For his revelations, he served 23 months in prison before the charges were eventually dropped. Reflecting on his ordeal, he maintained that he had “no regrets and no remorse,” standing by his decision to speak out against unlawful practices within the agency.

His remarks offer a rare insider perspective on the geopolitical and intelligence dimensions of South Asia’s enduring conflict, simultaneously illustrating how Pakistan’s strategic miscalculations and external dependencies continue to undermine its standing against a militarily and diplomatically stronger India.

Based On NDTV/ANI Report