General Babar Iftikhar says Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is neither neither asking for an extension nor will he accept it.
RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-April 14th, 2022) Director General Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) General Babar Iftikhar said that that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is neither neither asking for an extension nor will he accept it.
Gen Bajwa said, “He [Gen Bajwa] will retire on time on November 29, 2022," Gen Iftikhar said. , He gave these remarks in response to a question by a journalist.
Responding to a another question, the DG ISPR reiterated that the army has nothing to do with politics, making it clear that there is no interference by the Army in any by-election or local bodies election.
He stated that it was said that "calls were received", therefore evidence should be brought to the fore if there is any.
Gen Iftikhar asked political parties and the public not to drag the Pakistan Army into politics in a press conference Thursday afternoon.
The DG ISPR said any effort to create a rift between people and the armed forces is against national interest. He welcomed constructive criticism, but pointed out that a "malicious campaign" is being run against the army and its leadership.
He is briefing journalists on the recently held 79th Formation Commanders’ Conference at the General Headquarters, Rawalpindi.
Gen Iftikhar said that the formation commanders expressed confidence in the steps taken for the country's security, especially on account of international security and the Pakistan Army's role in upholding the rule of law.
He said, "All of them agreed that democracy, strength of institutions and rule of law and all the institutions working within the constitutional limits is the guarantor of national interest,".
He stated that the nation's support is the core of the army's strength and without it, the concept of national security is meaningless. Gen Iftikhar said that is why any intentional or unintentional effort that becomes the reason of creating a rift between the nation and armed forces is against the broader national interest.
The DG ISPR said, "An organised malicious propaganda is being run against the Pakistan Army and its leadership. Even fake audio messages of different retired senior military officials are being created using a deep-fake technology to create a divide between the nation and armed forces.
"This is illegal, unethical and totally against national interest,".
He then requested the public and political parties to not drag the army into politics.
"We want to stay out of it. Keep us out of this discourse," he said, adding that this campaign didn't get successful ever in the past nor will it in future.
