ISPR rejects Imran's allegations, labels them 'baseless and irresponsible'

Rawalpindi: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) late on Friday rejected the allegations leveld by PTI Chairman Imran against the military as "baseless and irresponsible".

Khan, who was injured along others during a firing incident on the PTI long march container at Wazirabad’s Allahwala Chowk on Thursday evening, had held Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and a senior intelligence official responsible for the bid to assassinate him.

The former prime minister, who addressed the nation for the first time since the assassination attempt earlier today, urged Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to hold "black sheep" in his institution accountable.

Strongly responding to the allegations, the ISPR issued a statement that stated, "the baseless and irresponsible allegations by chairman PTI against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for".

"The Pakistan army prides itself for being an extremely professional and well-disciplined organisation with a robust and highly effective internal accountability system applicable across the board for unlawful acts, if any, committed by uniformed personnel," it said.

"However, if the honour, safety and prestige of its rank and file is being tarnished by vested interests through frivolous allegations, the institution will jealousy (sic) safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what.

"The baseless allegations hurled at the institution/officials today are highly regrettable and strongly condemned. No one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity," the ISPR statement added.

The military's media wing called on the government to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those "responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence whatsoever".