Former ISI chief Asad Durrani denied visa to visit India, misses launch of his book

Asad Durrani had co-authored the book titled ''The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace'' with former RAW chief AS Dulat and journalist Aditya Sinha.

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New Delhi: Former chief of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI Asad Durrani on Wednesday missed to attend the launch of a book which he co-authored with a former RAW chief in the national capital after being denied an Indian visa.

Durrani had co-authored the book titled ''The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace'' with former RAW chief AS Dulat and journalist Aditya Sinha.

The book was released jointly by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former vice president Hamid Ansari, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha and a few others during an event organised here.

The book has been published by Harper Collins India.

Dr.Farooq Abdulla, Dr.Manmohan Singh and Shri.Hamid Ansari release #TheSpyChronicles by A.S. Dulat,Asad Durrani and Aditya Sinha @autumnshade in the presence of @YashwantSinha,@KapilSibal,Mr.Shiv Shankar Menon,Mr K.M Singh and @BDUTT. pic.twitter.com/IuitAl7X3x — HarperCollins India (@HarperCollinsIN) May 23, 2018

"At the end, a very special thank to the Indian deep state. By denying me the visa, they have saved me from the wrath of our hawks. They will be happy to know that I have not yet been cleared by the South Block (which houses India's PMO and Ministries of Defence and External Affairs)," he said in a pre-recorded video message played during the event.

The book, which has been styled as a conversation between two spy chiefs, covers a wide range of subjects including NSA Ajit Doval's way of functioning, the Kashmir issue and several thorny issues between India and Pakistan including Kulbhushan Jadhav, Balochistan and surgical strikes. 

(With PTI inputs)