Major General Ahmed Sharif says the Defense Ministry submitted its input about army’s deployment for elections and that input is based on the ground realities.
RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-April 25th, 2023) Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said that that Pakistan Army was neither supportive of an particular group, agenda or party nor the public wanted the army to do so.
The DG ISPR emphasized the importance of the public, saying that it was the center of power in Pakistan. He expressed these words while addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhary noted that the public did not wish for Pakistan to engage in any particular agenda. He also highlighted the presence of some individuals who were intentionally or unintentionally following foreign agendas on the social media.
He added that the army should not be used for any particular party or agenda as it would lead to chaos and anarchy. The army respected all politicians and parties and did not want to incline towards any specific agenda.
When asked if the army would be available for election duty, he stated that the mater of deployment of army for the election had already been submitted to the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of Pakistan. The Pakistan Army is deployed under Article 245 of the Constitution.
In response to India's claims, the DG ISPR stated that India's propaganda against Pakistan using disinformation was baseless. He further noted that India does not allow any foreign observers or media to visit the Line of Control (LoC), while Pakistan has taken UNMOGIP officials and the Secretary General of the OIC to the LoC on several occasions.
The DG ISPR also highlighted that Pakistan was always prepared to face any aggressive actions by India. India had committed several violations of the Line of Control this year. He added that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan organizations had proven links with foreign agencies.
The purpose of the press conference, he stated, was to highlight the professional activities of the army and its actions against terrorism.
According to the DG ISPR, while the Constitution grants freedom of expression to every citizen, there are conditions attached to it. He called the propaganda and commentary against the army on social media "unwise, unconstitutional, and irresponsible." He stated that while some individuals could participate in the debate privately, there are private and political agendas at play. Some individuals may even be working as tools for foreign forces to further their agendas.
The DG explained that while the army encourages constructive criticism, it cannot respond to every allegation or participate in endless debates. He emphasized that the army cannot be suppressed with bullying. He also pointed out that if the same comments were made against a respected judge, the defamation law would be applied. The army spokesman reiterated that the army does not support any political ideology or party and all politicians and political parties are respected.
Regarding India, Maj Gen Chaudhry emphasized that the Indian leadership's accusations of infiltration into Pakistan were politically motivated. He added that India violated the ceasefire agreement 56 times this year, resulting in 22 incidents of unprovoked firing and three airspace violations. Six cases of ceasefire and 25 cases of technical airspace violations were reported this year. The DG also noted that six Indian spy quadcopters were shot down, and the Pakistan Army is always prepared to counter India's evil designs.
The DG ISPR stressed that the armed forces are committed to responding fully to any aggression, with a focus on ensuring permanent internal and border security. He added that the war against terrorism would continue until the last terrorist was eliminated. The DG also stated that 98% of the fencing work on the 2,611 kilometer Pak-Afghan border has been completed. He further explained that the law and order situation in Balochistan has improved, and the security of CPEC and other projects is being ensured through sacrifices.
The army has decided to reduce all expenses to improve the country's economy. All operational and non-operational expenses will be cut, including petroleum, ration, construction, non-operational procurement, movement, and training expenses. The DG explained that in the current year, the army conducted 8,269 intelligence-based operations against terrorists and their facilitators, resulting in the arrest or killing of 1,535 terrorists. The DG also stated that more than 70 intelligence-based operations are taking place daily to combat terrorism.
