RAWALPINDI: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry denied any backchannel communication or negotiations with former prime minister Imran Khan.
In an interview with a British media outlet, the Pakistan military’s spokesperson said, “The military is not interested in talking to political parties, emphasising that dialogue and political negotiations are the responsibility of politicians.”
Recorded on May 18 at the ISPR headquarters, the interview addressed several pressing topics including political instability, relations with neighbouring countries and others.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif reiterated the military’s longstanding position that it operates strictly under the constitutional framework.
“We speak to the state, not to individual political parties,” he said.
According to him, the military serves the elected government of the time and should not be dragged into political debates or controversies.
Responding to persistent claims about the military’s involvement in politics, particularly following the ouster of Imran Khan’s government, Gen Sharif blamed political actors for creating and spreading such narratives to mask their own shortcomings.
The ISPR chief elaborated on the military’s support in civil sectors like health, disaster response, and infrastructure development. He noted the army’s key role during the Covid-19 pandemic and in polio vaccination drives.
“We act upon requests by the federal and provincial governments,” he added.
On the complex security situation in Balochistan, the army’s spokesperson said the region faces hybrid warfare driven by separatist elements and foreign-funded propaganda. He acknowledged the issue of enforced disappearances but stressed that no one has the right to illegally detain citizens. A judicial commission, he noted, is actively working on these cases.
Lt Gen Sharif defended Pakistan’s approach to media regulations and online monitoring. He pointed to Article 19 of the Constitution, which allows freedom of expression with reasonable restrictions. He also criticised what he described as double standards in global discourse on media freedoms, comparing Pakistan’s environment with India’s.
Regarding Pakistan’s security concerns stemming from Afghanistan, Gen Sharif stated that militant sanctuaries across the border continue to pose threats. He confirmed that Pakistan has conducted targeted operations across the border, including the recent Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos on May 10, aimed at neutralising threats.
“A single Pakistani life is more precious than a thousand foreign ones,” he asserted, underlining the military’s commitment to protecting national sovereignty and citizen safety.
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