COAS Bajwa was offered indefinite extension in March: DG ISI

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum on Thursday addressed the media and spoke about the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya, ARY News reported.

Addressing the presser, Gen Iftikhar said the purpose of today’s media talk was to shed light on the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif.

This presser is being done at a time when it is important to present the facts correctly so fact, fiction and opinion can be differentiated,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been informed about today’s press conference.

DG ISPR termed Arshad Sharif’s death an unfortunate incident and called him an icon of journalism in Pakistan.

Speaking on the cypher issue, Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar said that the ISPR informed the National Security Committee (NSC) that no proof was found regarding the conspiracy against the Imran Khan-led PTI government. “Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) also did not find any evidence regarding the conspiracy,” he added.

He further said the COAS Bajwa had discussed the cypher matter with former prime minister on March 11. “It was surprising for us when on March 27 a piece of paper was waved by former PM in public rally,” he added.

During the press conference, the DG ISPR revealed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on August 5 issued a threat letter which stated that a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was looking to target Sharif.

He further said that the KP government shared no information with institutions regarding the threat. “In this regard, no info was shared with the institutions who provided them the information.”

Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar said that it looks alike the threat alert was issued with the aim to force Sharif to leave the country, Gen Iftikhar said, adding that Sharif did not want to leave Pakistan and was in contact with the establishment.

DG ISPR also called for a transparent inquiry into the murder of senior journalist Sharif.

‘COAS Bajwa was offered indefinite extension in March’

In an unprecedented move, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum also made an appearance in today’s press conference — the first time in Pakistan’s history.

Lt Gen Anjum revealed that Gen Bajwa was given a “lucrative offer” for an extension in his tenure in March 2022 but he refused.

“The offer was made in front of me,” he said, adding that the army chief rejected it because he wanted the institution to move forward from a controversial role to a constitutional role.

DG ISI said that the army chief’s family was also targeted by some elements.

“It is not possible that you can meet army chief at night through the back door and then call him a traitor in the day,” he said while talking about former premier Imran Khan.

‘Sharif was in contact with establishment’

Talking about Arshad Sharif, the ISI chief praised Sharif as a competent, hardworking and able journalist.

He stated that as per his reports, Arshad did not face any threat in Pakistan and the journalist had contacts with the establishment.

“When he went abroad, he was still in contact [with the establishment],” Lt Gen Anjum said.

The DG ISI said he was in contact with his Kenyan counterpart regarding the probe into the death of a senior journalist.