Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) founder’s narrative-based campaign against the Pakistan Army, declaring it a direct threat to national security. He also accused the party of gaining support from media outlets of those countries whose forces, he said, had previously suffered defeat at the hands of the Pakistan Army.
While addressing a press conference, the DG ISPR presented some anti-army reports being repeatedly aired on Indian television channels. He stated that the party’s narrative relied heavily on sensationalism, disinformation and a systematic distortion of facts – elements that were further amplified by influencers allegedly aligned with PTI and boosted by Indian and Afghan social media ecosystems.’Under which law, rule, or constitutional provision can this be permitted, asks Lt Gen Chaudhry. He called it a ‘creeping national security threat’ that the military considers imperative to counter.
He said that instead of prioritising matters of public interest – including governance challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI has ruled for over a decade, as well as persistent issues in education, health, security and economic management – the party had centred its politics on attacking state institutions, particularly the armed forces.
He described one man in jail as ‘mentally sick’ alleging that the individual continued to place personal agenda above broader national interests. ‘No one is above Pakistan,’ he stressed, adding that no one would be allowed to undermine the country’s integrity.
The DG ISPR cautioned that coordinated attempts to create distrust between the armed forces and the Pakistani public through nefarious design would not be tolerated. He underlined that the military represents the entire nation, comprising citizens from every province, region, ethnicity and faith, and any attack on the institution was tantamount to attacking national unity.
The DG ISPR underscored the strategic role of Pakistan’s armed forces in defending the country against both external and internal threats, cautioning that attacks on the military directly weaken national security. ‘It is the armed forces,’ he said, ‘that stand between the people of Pakistan and the Hindutva-driven hegemonic designs of India’.
‘These same forces stand between the nation and the khawarij, terrorists, the Fitna al-Khawarij, and the Fitna al-Hindustan operating from Afghanistan,’ he added.
He further elaborated on what he termed PTI’s ‘anti-state agenda,’ linking its support networks in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to illegal activities, including narcotics trafficking, abductions, extortion and the widespread use of non-custom-paid vehicles.
He added that hostile foreign elements were exploiting PTI’s narrative to malign Pakistan internationally, warning that such collaboration – intentional or otherwise – served the interests of adversaries rather than the people of Pakistan.
He reiterated that the Pakistan Army remained committed to safeguarding the country and would continue to counter propaganda, misinformation and any attempts to destabilise the state. Earlier, he congratulated everyone on the appointment of the Chief of Defense Forces. The Chief of Defense Forces has started working. In the current warfare situation, it is necessary to work in a coordinated manner across all sectors including land, air, naval and cyber. This step was a long-standing need, other countries also have such headquarters. This step on the instructions of the Parliament is an important milestone in the country’s defense.
He said that the Indian media and the accounts linked to the Indian-intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) were making the posts viral.
‘The Indian media is reporting against your army chief with such happiness. Who is providing this narrative to them? They air this narrative for hours. Why are they spending so much money on spreading the narrative of this delusional mindset of this narcissist? There is one reason, because he is speaking against the army and its chief. He is talking about creating a rift between the Pakistani army and the public.’
The head of the military’s media wing added that Afghan social media, being ‘facilitators of the khawarij’, was also involved in spreading Imran’s anti-army rhetoric.
‘Why wouldn’t they do it? Because someone here is saying things about the Pakistan army and its leadership, then why will they not do it? They all operate simultaneously, and then the international media picks up such news, too. It is a collusion because they have the same purpose and the same enemy, i.e. the Pakistan Army and its leadership.’
Referring to Imran’s harsh comments against PTI members who attended a function at the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad and terming them as traitors, the DG ISPR said: ‘By that logic, he is also saying that anyone in the ISPR and army is also a traitor, because they too went to NDU, he believes anyone who even is linked [to the army] is a traitor.’
Continuing to assail the PTI founder, the DG ISPR said: ‘I will again repeat that you can fool some of the people all the time, you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.’
He said the time had come ‘for an end’ to the PTI’s ‘political trickery’.
The military spokesperson also slammed the persistent speculation over the issue of the notification for the chief of defence forces and questioned the ‘obsession’ with the army.
He questioned why the PTI continued to talk about the army instead of the governance of its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its performance against terrorism.
‘Please grow up. Talk about real issues.’
The military spokesperson also criticised the PTI for its policy and stance on the issues of terrorism, Afghanistan and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
‘Tell me, can the state’s security be sublet? Is appeasement a security policy?’
The DG ISPR also wondered why the PTI and its founder called for talks with terrorists.
‘Firstly, he is a mental patient. Apart from that, there are two more reasons. One, there is a terror crime nexus … there is political patronage and terrorists provide them with protection. The terrorists act against law enforcers, FC personnel, security forces and anyone who stands against them. There is a huge economic interest and there is a political reason also … the only story that comes out of KP is security … there is a narrative of the army being behind terrorism so that no one questions them about governance in the province where they have been in power for the past 12-13 years.’ He said even more could be found if one looked for them.
‘It is clear to us that what is happening, why it is happening and why it is being carried out. We need to tell that this business of lies and deception will not continue anymore in Pakistan. This cannot be allowed.’
DG Chaudhry said that if anyone thought their person and politics were bigger than the country’s security, they would be wrong to do so.
‘The Pakistan Army is standing and will keep on standing. We are not going anywhere. We have taken an oath for the protection of this state.’
The military spokesperson also criticised the KP chief minister and said no one talked about the province’s governance from the PTI but kept focusing on the army.
‘If the barking dog barks, don’t pay attention to it.’
Questioned about a ban on the PTI, the military spokesperson said: ‘The state is above the army. It is all wise. It is their decision. What they do and why they do. You need to ask them. … We are not politicians … the state has much more vision and clarity.’
The DG ISPR was also asked about the imposition of governor’s rule in KP and said it had nothing to do with the army, adding that the government had to decide on the matter.
He said it was for the government, Parliament and all stakeholders to decide the future course of the province.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
