Nothing above state; one man says ‘if not me, then nothing’: DG ISPR

Rawalpindi: Director General ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has said that nothing is above the State of Pakistan. He added that the personal ambitions of a certain individual have grown to such an extent that he now says, “If not me, then nothing.”

Speaking at a press conference, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry congratulated everyone on the appointment of the Chief of Defence Forces. He said that the headquarters of the Chief of Defence Forces has now been established, and that such a headquarters had long been needed.

The DG ISPR stated that the purpose of the press conference was to highlight an internal national security threat. “Nothing is greater than the State of Pakistan,” he reiterated. “This individual’s ego and desires have grown so much that he says, ‘If I am not there, then nothing should remain.’ Politics has now come to an end; this person has become a national security threat and is working in collaboration with external elements.”

He said, “We represent Pakistan’s armed forces and we do not reflect any political ideology. If someone attacks the Pakistan Army based on their personal thinking, we will respond. We respect Pakistan’s political leadership, but the army must be kept away from politics. No one will be allowed to create divisions between the armed forces and the people of Pakistan.”

‘If anyone attacks the armed forces or its leadership, we will not tolerate it,’ says DG ISPR

He added, “We do not come from the elite class; we come from the middle or lower-middle class. If anyone attacks the armed forces or its leadership, we will not tolerate it. We respect all political figures and all political parties. Conduct your politics, but keep the army out of it.”

The DG ISPR said that people may hold constructive opinions or observations about the army, but no one will be allowed to incite the public against it. “If someone attacks the army or its leadership, then does he wish to create space for some other force? Anyone who meets this individual hears him deliver an anti-state and anti-army narrative. He disregards the constitution, the law, and established rules to promote this narrative.”

He further said, “This very army stands between the people and the Khariji (outlawed) terrorists. Every country has an army. Under which law or constitution do you meet a convicted individual who then crafts a narrative against the army and its leadership? First, he builds a narrative telling people to stop remittances so Pakistan defaults, and then he calls for targeting the leadership that stood firm before a force eight times stronger. When we question his party, they say they have no idea where this narrative originates.”

Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has emphatically stated that the Armed Forces of Pakistan stand tall and resolute with the solemn pledge to counter any anti-state narrative or collusion.

Addressing a news conference in Rawalpindi today, he deplored that the PTI founder is not doing politics rather is hinging up on a relentless anti-state narrative. 

The DG ISPR said PTI founder's narrative has become a national security threat.

He said we respect constructive criticism and freedom of expression, but no one can be allowed to drive a wedge between the people and Armed Forces of Pakistan.                    

He said all political parties are respectable but armed forces should not be dragged into politics.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said PTI founder's narrative is unfortunately in deep collusion with external actors.

He said anti-state narrative, begins from the official twitter account of PTI founder, is taken up by Indian mainstream and social media and then further propagated by Afghan media.

To this, the DG ISPR presented a detailed chart with dates and timings of the tweets by PTI founder and his party's accounts which are then carried for further propagation by Indian and Afghan media outlets.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry questioned as to why the Indian media is giving this much of its air time to PTI's narrative.

The DG ISPR also questioned as to why PTI founder is so obsessed with Pak Army.

He showed the social media trends and fake news surrounding the recent Chief of Defence Forces notification and other related disinformation campaigns about Pak Army.

About PTI's criticism on Afghan policy and narrative of talks with Khawarij, the DG ISPR said security of the state cannot be sublet.

The DG ISPR reiterated that we believe in dialogue, but not with terrorist entities including Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan.

The Director General ISPR described the operationalization of Chief of Defence Forces Headquarters as a monumental and a great day for the national security of Pakistan.

He said it is not only in Pakistan but there are about seventy countries where such synergetic headquarters are available.