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Islamabad: In a fresh expose of links between the establishment in Pakistan and terrorists operating from there, a serving intelligence officer has accused his own spy agency of "protecting" terrorists.

Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Shahzad, a serving assistant sub-inspector of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), has alleged that his senior officers have failed to take action against terror suspects.

Shahzad has even approached a court and filed a plea for a thorough investigation into the matter, PTI reported on Tuesday quoting a Pakistani media report.

In his petition, Shahzad appealed to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to order an investigation by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the matter, Dawn reported.

Shahzad said in his petition that he filed a report against terrorist groups from various countries but his seniors at the agency did not act.

"However, to the petitioner's utter dismay, no action was ever taken by the IB in this respect, despite concrete evidence provided to it in the form of the intelligence reports," the petition says.

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"On completion of a thorough intelligence gathering process, it transpired that certain high officials of the IB are themselves directly involved with the terrorist organisations, having linkages with hostile enemy intelligence agencies," it reads.

The petition also states that the matter was reported to the IB director general as well but still no action was taken.

The petition further claims some IB officials travelled to Israel and had direct links with Afghan intelligence which, it was found later, had links with another terrorist group from Kazakhstan.

"These terrorists used to disguise themselves as citrus dealers in Kot-Momin and Bhalwal, Sargodha. The business was a mere camouflage," the petition says.

The petition claims that the son of joint director IB (Punjab) was dealing with the said terrorist groups.

It also names certain IB officials who are allegedly on the payrolls of foreign intelligence agencies which include a joint director general, directors and deputy directors.

Shahzad said he "has been running from pillar to post including approaching the prime minister of Pakistan to raise this issue of national security."

(With PTI inputs)