Pak army not interested in talks with political parties, says DG ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Pakistan Army is not interested in engaging in talks with political parties.

DG ISPR) Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in an interview with the BBC urged that the armed forces be kept out of politics, emphasizing that the military has consistently maintained a clear stance on this matter.
“It is the responsibility of politicians to engage in dialogue with each other,” the DG ISPR said, reiterating that the Pakistan Army should not be dragged into political affairs.

He clarified that the military communicates with the state of Pakistan, which is formed by political parties under the Constitution, and the government in power represents the state at any given time.

The DG ISPR further said that the Pakistan Armed Forces operate under the authority of the state. Addressing concerns about political instability, he advised that such questions should be directed to political entities, not the military. “We request that politics be kept within political circles and the armed forces be left out of it,” he added.

The DG ISPR also criticized the spread of rumors and assumptions against the military for political purposes, urging political actors to refrain from involving the armed forces in their agendas.

Earlier in a separate development, the Lahore High Court rejected post-arrest bail petitions of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, Imran Khan, in eight cases related to the May 9 riots.

A division bench of the LHC, headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, announced the verdict.

The bail petitions pertain to eight separate cases, including attacks on Jinnah House, Askari Tower case and Shadman Police Station arson attack.

Also read: Barrister Gohar terms THIS date crucial for PTI founder’s bail