Organised malicious propaganda being run against the Pak Army & its leadership: DG ISPR

An organised malicious propaganda is being run against the Pakistan Army and its leadership, DG ISPR

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Major General Babar Iftikhar in a press conference on Thursday urges politicians, and the public not to drag Pakistan Army into politics.

He briefed journalists on the recently held 79th Formation Commanders’ Conference at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi.

DG ISPR Briefing Question and Answer Summary:

• No conspiracy was mentioned in the National Security Committee.
• De Marsh was issued on intervention.
• The United States did not ask for bases.
• The former prime minister had asked the army chief to intervene.
• If the army says something to someone, they accuse it of going out of bounds.
• When institutions are blamed, the government has a responsibility.
• If there is any danger to the life of the former Prime Minister, the Interior Ministry will look into it.
• Intervention Question: There has been a history, if there is any evidence, provide it
  

Gen Iftikhar said that the formation commanders expressed confidence in the steps taken for the country’s security, especially on account of international security and the Pakistan Army’s role in upholding the rule of law.

“All of them agreed that democracy, the strength of institutions and rule of law, and all the institutions working within the constitutional limits is the guarantor of national interest,” DG ISPR said.

He said that the nation’s support is the core of the army’s strength and without it, the concept of national security is meaningless.

Gen Iftikhar said that that is why any intentional or unintentional effort that becomes the reason for creating a rift between the nation and armed forces is against the broader national interest.

“An organised malicious propaganda is being run against the Pakistan Army and its leadership. Even fake audio messages of different retired senior military officials are being created using a deep-fake technology to create a divide between the nation and armed forces.

“This is illegal, unethical, and totally against national interest,” he said.

“We want to stay out of it. Keep us out of this discourse,” he said, adding that this campaign didn’t get successful ever in the past nor will it in the future.

COAS Retirement

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is neither asking for an extension nor will he accept it, the DG ISPR said in response to a question by a journalist.

“Gen Bajwa will retire on time on November 29, 2022,” Gen Iftikhar said.

DG ISPR, responding to another question, reiterated that the army has nothing to do with politics.

“There is no interference by the Army in any by-election or local bodies election.”

He said that it was said that “calls were received”, therefore evidence should be brought to the fore if there is any.

Word ‘conspiracy’ not included in NSC statement: DG ISPR clarifies

 

ISPR DG clarified that the word “conspiracy” was not used in the statement issued after a meeting of the National Security Committee last month.

His clarification came in response to a journalist’s question.

He was asked about the military leadership’s stance on former prime minister Imran Khan’s claims that it acknowledged the “foreign conspiracy” in the NSC meeting. 

Gen Iftikhar responded that he cannot discuss what was said in the meeting.

He added that the stance of the military leadership was conveyed in the meeting as well as the statement issued after it.

“Whatever the meeting concluded is present in the statement,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s military agencies are working day and night against such plots and will not let them get successful.

While responding to a question about the BBC report on events that took place at the Prime Minister’s House on the night of Imran Khan’s ouster from power, Maj Gen Babar said that it is a “false story” and nothing but a pack of lies”.