DG ISI and DG ISPR presser thoroughly exposed Imran Khan's narrative of lies

The army chief was offered an indefinite extension in March 2022 revealed DG ISI in an unprecedented press conference along with DG ISPR

In an explosive and unexpected press conference, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar exposed Imran Khan’s narrative based on lies from cypher to Arshad Sharif’s death. They spoke about journalist Arshad Sharif's killing and former premier Imran Khan's confrontational narrative against the military.

Today’s press conference fully exposed the narrative of Imran khan based on lies and distortions. From cypher to the Arshad Sharif’s tragic killing, the DG ISPR and DG ISI very clearly and brick by brick dismantled the Imran khan’s narrative.

DG ISI General Naveed Ahmad Anjum generally kept a distance from media and even his pictures and videos of official meetings and interactions are not allowed to publish in the media. But today, he decided to bring truth out as Imran Khan Continues to spread lies. Through this presser the army has given a clear message that it will not tolerate fake news and lies to build narrative.

This presser was unprecedented as no other spy chief ever held press conference to express his views. DG ISI told the media that why he is present in this presser. “I know you are shocked to see me amongst yourself, and I can understand your surprise. My policy on my pictures and public appearances has been clear for the past year to which my agency and I strictly adhere,” said DG ISI.

“But today is a different day, I am not here for myself but for my institution, whose soldiers and officers sacrifice their lives every day for this country. Especially, I have come here for my agency whose officers and agents all over the world protect this country 24 hours a day”

“I cannot remain silent when they are made targets of uncalled-for criticism on the basis of lies then as the leader of this institution, I cannot remain silent. You should know that this narrative has been 100 per cent constructed on the basis of lies,” said DG ISI.

"But you should know why this narrative was constructed in the first place. Calling someone Mir Jaffar, Mir Sadiq, traitor, neutral and an animal was not because my agency or the army chief were disloyal. It is also not because he [army chief] did something unconstitutional or unlawful. It is because he, his institution, refused to do something unconstitutional and unlawful”.

"Last year, the establishment had decided to confine itself to its constitutional role. This was not an individual decision; this was not just a decision on part of the COAS. It was something that was heavily debated within the institution and we came to the conclusion that the country’s benefit and the institution’s benefit are only in limiting ourselves to our constitutional role" and "get out of politics".

"Since last year, and especially since March this year, there was a lot of pressure on us, and the pressure was placed in various ways but the institution and army chief decided to stand their ground."

Lt Gen Nadeem further said that the army chief "made this decision for the benefit of the country and sacrificed himself for it. In March, the army chief was offered an indefinite extension for his tenure in front of me," said the country's spy chief. If you think he is a traitor, then why did you meet him in secret,” questioned DG ISI.

 “It cannot be that you meet the chief in the darkness of the night and express your constitutional and unconstitutional desires, you can express them, that’s fine, but don’t then go out during the day and call him a traitor”.

DG ISPR Gen Iftikhar said the purpose of today's media talk was to shed light on the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya and the circumstances surrounding it.

Since Arshad was an investigative journalist, he also looked into the cypher issue when it surfaced, shared the DG ISPR. 

He also highlighted that the journalist had also interviewed the then-prime minister Imran Khan on the issue, adding that at the time it was claimed that he was shown the document.

"Facts linked with the cypher and Arshad Sharif’s death need to be found. So there is no ambiguity left in this regard," said the DG ISPR. 

The DG ISPR termed it imperative to hold transparent and impartial investigation into the killing of the senior journalist, saying that they have requested the government to form a high level inquiry commission to investigate the despicable incident.

The DG ISPR said international and forensic experts including the UN representatives should be included in the inquiry commission.

The DG ISPR said ARY Chief Executive Officer Salman Iqbal should be brought back to Pakistan and be investigated.

Pakistan’s institutions and especially the army leadership were targeted and it was linked with treason and regime change operation, said Lt Gen Iftikhar. 

 He shared that during this time Sharif and other senior journalists were fed with a specific narrative.

While mentioning ARY news, the DG ISPR said that during the media trial the private TV channel acted as a spin doctor in spreading a false narrative against the Pakistan Army and leadership.

“Pakistan Army was expected of political interference which is against the Constitution. The word ‘neutral’ was made an abuse,” said the DG ISPR. He added that the institution and army chief showed extreme restraint and patience despite all this.

He said the army had no information about the life threat to Arshad Sharif in Pakistan.

He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had issued a threat letter which stated that a terrorist group is looking to target Sharif. In this regard, no information was shared with the institutions as to who provided them this information, he said. 

He added that there were reports that Arshad Sharif did not want to leave the country but he kept being reminded that he was facing a threat to his life. He said nobody forced the senior journalist to leave Dubai at a government level, questioning that who exactly forced him to leave Dubai.

                                                                   Khalid Bhatti 


No comments

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Powered by Blogger.