ISLAMABAD, Dec 5 (APP): Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, on Friday strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) narrative-based campaign against the Pakistan Army, declaring it a direct threat to national security. He also accused the party of receiving support from media outlets in countries whose forces, he said, had previously suffered defeat at the hands of the Pakistan Army.
Addressing a press conference, the DG ISPR presented examples of anti-army reports repeatedly aired on Indian television channels. He stated that the party’s narrative relied heavily on sensationalism, disinformation, and systematic distortion of facts — elements further amplified by influencers allegedly aligned with PTI and boosted by Indian and Afghan social media ecosystems. “Under which law, rule, or constitutional provision can this be permitted?” Lt Gen Chaudhry questioned.
He termed this trend a “creeping national security threat,” stressing that the military considers it imperative to counter. He said that instead of prioritising matters of public interest — including governance challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI has ruled for over a decade, as well as persistent issues in education, health, security and economic management — the party had centred its politics on attacking state institutions, particularly the armed forces.
He described one man in jail as “mentally sick,” alleging that the individual continued to place personal agenda above broader national interests. “No one is above Pakistan,” he stressed, adding that no one would be allowed to undermine the country’s integrity.
The DG ISPR cautioned that coordinated attempts to create distrust between the armed forces and the Pakistani public through nefarious designs would not be tolerated. He underlined that the military represents the entire nation, comprising citizens from every province, region, ethnicity and faith, and that any attack on the institution amounts to attacking national unity.
He highlighted the strategic role of Pakistan’s armed forces in defending the country against both external and internal threats, warning that attacks on the military directly weaken national security. “It is the armed forces,” he said, “that stand between the people of Pakistan and the Hindutva-driven hegemonic designs of India.”
“These same forces stand between the nation and the khawarij, terrorists, the Fitna al-Khawarij, and the Fitna al-Hindustan operating from Afghanistan,” he added.
He further elaborated on what he termed PTI’s “anti-state agenda,” linking its support networks in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to illegal activities, including narcotics trafficking, abductions, extortion, and the widespread use of non-custom-paid vehicles.
Lieutenant General Chaudhry added that hostile foreign elements were exploiting PTI’s narrative to malign Pakistan internationally, warning that such collaboration — intentional or otherwise — served the interests of adversaries rather than the people of Pakistan.
He reiterated that the Pakistan Army remains committed to safeguarding the country and will continue to counter propaganda, misinformation and any attempts to destabilise the state.
Earlier, he congratulated everyone on the appointment of the Chief of Defense Forces, noting that the CDF has already assumed responsibilities. He said that in the current warfare environment, it is necessary to work in a coordinated manner across all sectors — including land, air, naval and cyber. This step, he noted, was a long-standing need, as other countries also maintain such headquarters. He added that this development, undertaken on the instructions of Parliament, marks an important milestone in strengthening the country’s defence.
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