RAWALPINDI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Major General Babar Iftikhar has clarified that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is neither asking for an extension nor will he accept it.<\/p>\n
He made the remark Thursday afternoon during a briefing to journalists on the recently held 79th Formation Commanders\u2019 Conference at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi.<\/p>\n
During the press conference, the DG ISPR asked political parties and the public not to drag the Pakistan Army into politics.<\/p>\n
The DG ISPR said any effort to create a rift between people and the armed forces is against national interest. He welcomed constructive criticism, but pointed out that a “malicious campaign” is being run against the army and its leadership.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“All of them agreed that democracy, 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.<\/p>\n
He went on to say that the nation’s support is the core of the army’s strength and without it, the concept of national security is meaningless.<\/p>\n
Gen Iftikhar said that that is why any intentional or unintentional effort that becomes the reason of creating a rift between the nation and armed forces is against the broader national interest.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“This is illegal, unethical and totally against national interest,” he said.<\/p>\n
He then requested the public and political parties to not drag the army into politics.<\/p>\n
“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 future.<\/p>\n
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is neither asking for an extension nor will he accept it, the DG ISPR remarked in response to a question by a journalist.<\/p>\n
“He [Gen Bajwa] will retire on time on November 29, 2022,” Gen Iftikhar said.<\/p>\n
Responding to another question, the DG ISPR reiterated that the army has nothing to do with politics.<\/p>\n
“There is no interference by the Army in any by-election or local bodies election.”<\/p>\n
He said that it was said that “calls were received”, therefore evidence should be brought to the fore if there is any.<\/p>\n
The ISPR DG clarified that the word “conspiracy” was not used in the statement issued after a meeting of the National Security Committee last month.<\/p>\n
His clarification came in response to a journalist’s question. He 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 said that he cannot discuss what was said in the meeting.<\/p>\n
He, however, said that the stance of the military leadership was conveyed in the meeting as well as the statement issued after it.<\/p>\n
“Whatever the meeting concluded is present in the statement.”<\/p>\n
He said that Pakistan’s military agencies are working day and night against such plots and will not let them get successful.<\/p>\n
Responding to a question about the BBC report on events that took place at the Prime Minister\u2019s 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”.<\/p>\n
“The Army has nothing to do with the political process that took place a few days back in the country,” he iterated. “Do not drag the army into political matters.”<\/p>\n
On the ongoing propaganda against the security forces, the DG ISPR said that the concerned departments of the government were taking action against it and maintained that they have also traced foreign linkages during the probe into the malicious campaign.<\/p>\n
“We have collected data around the malicious campaign against institutions. The campaigns started locally and have expanded globally. We will share our analysis in the coming days.”<\/p>\n
He also urged the people to avoid sharing such reports without confirming them.<\/p>\n