DG ISPR says one individual poses national security threat

RAWALPINDI (Dunya News) – Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that one individual has become a national security threat, and the public will not be allowed to be incited against the Army.

Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, DG ISPR congratulated the nation on the establishment of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) headquarters, calling it a crucial step toward achieving synergy and jointness in Pakistan’s military operations.

He told reporters, “This has been widely discussed in the media. The nature of warfare has evolved—operations now span multiple domains. It’s no longer just land, sea, and air; warfare also occurs in space, cyberspace, the informational domain, and relies heavily on intelligence.”

He added, “Wars today are violent, short, and intense. To ensure efficiency and effectiveness, the CDF headquarters was a long-awaited necessity, as seen in other countries as well.”

The DG ISPR then addressed a growing national security threat facing Pakistan.

He stated that the press briefing was aimed at addressing an internal national security threat. He emphasized, “Nothing is above the state of Pakistan. Its identity and interests have grown to the extent that if I am not present, nothing else matters. Politics has now taken a backseat, and its narrative has become a threat to Pakistan’s national security.”

He added, “We are the Pakistan Armed Forces. We do not represent any region, ethnicity, religious group, or political ideology. The military includes people of every language, religion, region, and sect. Our sole agenda is Pakistan.”

The DG ISPR also congratulated everyone on the appointment of the Chief of Defence Forces, saying, “The CDF headquarters has been inaugurated. It was a long-awaited requirement for the country.”

“Pakistan’s armed forces are not representatives of any political ideology. If anyone attacks the Pakistan Army based on their personal thinking, the Army will respond,” he added.

He stressed that the armed forces respect Pakistan’s political leadership, but politics should be kept away from the military.

“No one will be allowed to create divisions between the armed forces and the people,” he held.

He added that members of the armed forces do not come from an elite class but mostly belong to the middle or lower-middle class. Any attack on the armed forces or their leadership will not be tolerated. While the military respects all political personalities and parties, they must carry out their politics without dragging the Army into it.

The DG ISPR said that constructive criticism or observations about the Army are acceptable, but inciting the public against the military will not be allowed. He questioned whether those attacking the Army or its leadership were trying to make space for another force. He said that whenever this individual meets someone, he spreads a narrative against the state of Pakistan and its armed forces, doing so while disregarding the Constitution, law, and rules.

“Army that stands between Khawarij terrorists and the people. Every country has an army. Under which constitution or law someone meets a criminal who then builds a narrative against the Army and its leadership,” he added.

He recalled that first, a narrative was pushed to stop remittances to force Pakistan into default, and later calls were made to target the leadership that stood firm during Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos against a force eight times stronger. When questioned, that political party claims it does not know where the narrative originates.

Pakistan military’s spokesperson said that Article 19 allows freedom of expression but with clear restrictions. It does not permit speaking against the country, the state, or national security.

He said the original narrative was promoted through tweets by a mentally unstable individual, which were then amplified by Indian media. Not only social media accounts but also Indian media repeatedly aired these narratives. He cited how individuals appeared on Indian media urging attacks on PTI and noted how eagerly Indian media spread stories about Pakistan’s Army Chief.

He said Indian media immediately jumps on such narratives, followed by troll accounts, most of which operate from abroad. After a tweet, coordinated accounts appear in a sequence, with foreign-based accounts joining in. Afghan social media, he added, also actively participates, after which international media picks it up.

Giving another example, he said the same individual claimed that anyone from his party who attended the National Defence University was a traitor. By that logic, he questioned whether visiting ISPR would also make someone a traitor.

The Army spokesperson questioned who this person is and whose language he is speaking. He said such symptoms of mental illness had been seen before and asked whether the same person had not incited the attack on GHQ on May 9. He said this individual believes that anyone serving in the Pakistan Army is a traitor, considers himself all-knowing, and thinks everyone else is wrong.

He described his politics as one where democracy exists only when he is in power, and otherwise it is called dictatorship. He added that while people can be deceived for some time, this individual repeatedly references Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his tweets.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that when such a person has a provincial government, why does he not talk about its performance or address Pakistan’s real issues. He emphasized that the Army has repeatedly asked to be kept out of politics.

He further stated that propaganda was spread over the notification of the Chief of Defence Forces, with a flood of lies surrounding it. He questioned whether this could be called freedom of expression and what kind of politics it represents. He said instead of discussing real issues, every development related to the Army was turned into propaganda, adding that it was unclear how such ideas form in their minds.

He concluded by saying that just three days ago the same narrative was repeated, calling for talks with Khawarij militants and opposing intelligence-based operations. He questioned how dialogue could be suggested with those militants who are killing Pakistan’s children and soldiers.