RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday congratulated the nation on the appointment of Field Marshal Asim Munir as chief of the defence forces of Pakistan while deeply criticizing “poisonous propaganda” against Pakistan Army by a “mentally ill person” and his cronies.
“He who criticizes Pakistan Army and its leadership, is he trying to create space for some other power or force?,” said the DG ISPR.
He was of the view that this “mentally ill” person thinks that Pakistan and its politics revolves around him and only him and if he isn’t in power, the whole system is either corrupt, built on injustice or is mere dictatorship.
Pakistan Army’s spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that not only this propaganda and misinformation is released on social media but is happily carried by Indian media outlets like Republic TV, who are known for their anti-Pakistan narrative.
“A woman spoke to Indian media and (while talking about the release of this prisoner) said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (where PTI is in power) will attack the prison. Indian media these days is running concocted stories about our army chief and is running such propaganda for hours, why? because it is against Pakistan’s armed forces,” said the military’s spokesman.
DG ISPR remarked that panic has reached a level where certain ‘individuals’ believe that without them, nothing can function. He said that this narrative, claiming that “politics is over,” is posing a threat to national security.
He asserted that, without any ambiguity, it must be made clear that no such narrative will be allowed to prevail.
‘We do not represent any political ideology’
DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, “We are the Armed Forces of Pakistan. We do not represent any region, ethnicity, religious leaning, political ideology, or school of thought.”
He stated that Pakistan’s armed forces comprise people from every region, sect, language, and background.
“We do not operate on the agenda of any political party, nor do we follow the agenda of any class—middle, poor, or rich,” he added.
The army’s spokesperson said that if anyone attacks the military for personal motives or to push a specific mindset, they will not be spared. “Keep your politics away from the Pakistan Army,” he warned.
He further said that the armed forces respect all political parties and political figures. “No one will be allowed to create a divide between the Pakistan Army and the people,” the DG ISPR declared.
‘No narrative against national security will be allowed’
Without naming the PTI founder, DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that whenever someone meets this individual, they set aside the Constitution, the law, and established rules. He stated that the time has come to put an end to negative propaganda.
He questioned, “Which clause of the Constitution, which law, and which political tradition permits such actions? Which political ideology allows the creation of a narrative that undermines the security and defence forces?”
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations said stressed that no narrative targeting national security or the country’s defence institutions will be tolerated. “His politics is over,” DG ISPR remarked.
He added that the Constitution grants freedom of expression to everyone, but this freedom cannot be misused to harm national security or attack state institutions.
‘Indian media is their biggest supporter’
DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that two days ago a “mentally unstable individual” posted a tweet, and the situation has now escalated to a point where the Pakistan Army must speak openly.
He stated that the biggest facilitator of this person is the Indian media. Referring to the recent tweet, he urged the public to reflect on its contents, asking: “Against which army are you building this narrative? In what pattern and on whose agenda is this campaign being run?”
DG ISPR Mr. Chaudhry said that earlier, a narrative was created calling for Pakistan’s remittances to be stopped.
He added that this person also asked for the leadership of the Pakistan Army — the same leadership that defeated the enemy in the battle of truth — to be targeted. “Who would want the army, which stands as a shield against the Khawarij, to be attacked?” he questioned.
According to DG ISPR, this narrative begins from the individual’s own party’s account, after which it is amplified by Indian and Afghan social media networks.
“There is an account running this propaganda, and even their own party does not know who operates it,” he added.