KEEP ARMY OUT OF POLITICS IN COUNTRY’S BEST INTEREST, WARNS ISPR
■ Unsubstantiated, defamatory and provocative statements are extremely damaging, says military’s media wing
THE military Sunday warned politicians, journalists and analysts against dragging Pakistan Army and its leadership in the country’s political affairs, saying that the practice is “extremely damaging”.
“Recently there have been intensified and deliberate attempts to drag Pakistan’s Armed Forces and their leadership in ongoing political discourse in the country,” the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Sunday.
“These attempts are manifest through direct, insinuated or nuanced references to Armed Forces as well as their senior leadership, made by some political leaders, few journalists and analysts on public forums and various communication platforms including social media.”
The military’s media wing further said that this practice of unsubstantiated, defamatory and provocative statements /remarks is extremely damaging.
“Pakistan Armed Forces take strong exception to such unlawful and unethical practice and expect all to abide by the law and keep the Armed Forces out of political discourse in the best interest of the country,” it added.
The statement comes in the wake of Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) crackdown against those allegedly involved in running online campaigns to defame the military and its top leadership.
The agency has also initiated an inquiry against an anchorperson of a private TV channel for allegedly transmitting ‘anti-state’ videos and statements on various social media platforms.
At a recent public gathering, PMLN Vice President Maryam Nawaz said that former prime minister Imran Khan only lasted in office for over three years as he had the support of a former intelligence officer.
“When the government lost his support, it fell instantly.”
On Thursday, former PM and PTI Chairman Imran said he could not even think of appointing an army chief against the rules of merit and rubbished speculations that he wanted former Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) director general Lt Gen Faiz Hameed to be appointed to that post.