Rawalpindi, 25 Apr 2023
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif said today that retired officers forums are bound by the rules and regulations prohibiting them involving in national politics.
Addressiing to the press conference on national security and terrorism, he said the military was focused on rooting out terrorism, and it respects all the politicians and political parties.
Giving detail on matters pertaining to security and terrorism in the ongoing year,” he said the situation at the LoC has remained relatively peaceful after the restoration of the 2003 ceasefire agreement, however, New Delhi’s “fake propaganda on infiltration and technical air violations show India’s special political agenda.
He said, Pakistan had allowed the United Nation’s observers complete access to the LoC, where as India has not given them (UN observers) access or liberty of action.
He said Pakistan had organised 16 trips to the LoC in the past few days, including visit by Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and international media, but no such visit was organised by India, which shows hiding the reality of the situation in [occupied] Kashmir,” he added.
He said India had violated the LoC ceasefire 56 times in the ongoing year, which included three violations of airspace, 22 incidents of speculative firing, six ceasefire violations and 25 technical airspace violations.
Pakistan Army had struck down six spy quadcopters, and is prepared to (deal with) any such attempts by India.
Talking about the situation on the country’s Western frontiers of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ISPR Chief said that terrorists had been trying to destroy peace, however, the security forces, police and other law enforcement agencies are engaged in foiling their attempt.
An Afghan suicide bomber from Kunduz, identified as Imtiaz, was arrested from Bajaur. other terrorists, who were trained by Jamaatul Ahrar and TTP’s Maulvi Abdul Baseer alias Aizam Safi in Afghanistan, were also arrested.
He said that three terrorists had reached Karachi via Hub carried out the attack on KPO had been killed in retaliatory action by security forces, and three masterminds behind this attack were also arrested along with arms and ammunition.
The DG ISPR said overall 137 security personnel were martyred and 117 injured in anti-terror operations in the ongoing year.
During question-answer session, the ISPR Chief replied about role of the army in the Punjab elections, social media campaign against the military leadership and possibility of disciplinary action against some retired generals.
He said that Pakistan army is a national army, for us all politicians, all parties are respectable.
While replying to a question, he saif that everyone had the right to have an opinion, stressing that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir had reiterated that the people of Pakistan were the source of power.
“The army will not want to go to any one ideology or party. Every region is represented in the army. The cooperation of the army with them is to the extent of operations against terrorism,” he stressed.
Answering another question regarding the campaign against the army on social media, he said that using army for a particular political or religious cause could lead to chaos, both the people and the army would not want the army to be associated with any particular political party. “Political leaders should strengthen our thinking. The army and the politicians have a non-political relationship, it will not be appropriate to give it a political colour.
On a question about arrest of Lt-Gen (retd) Amjad Shoaib, the ISPR DG said: “Veterans (retired soldiers) are our asset. Their sacrifices are for the forces of Pakistan. Veteran groups are not political organisations, but charitable organisations. They should not do politics.
Regarding decision about deployment of military personnel for the election in Punjab, he said that it was done by the federal government under Article 245 of the Constitution.
The position that the Ministry of Defence had told the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Supreme Court [in this matter] is based on the facts on the ground.
American Chamber of Commerce Qatar
Bangladeshi Community
Filipino Community
Indian Community
Nepali Community
Pakistani Community
Sri Lankan Community
