DG ISPR Statement To Keep Army Away From Politics
DG ISPR Statement To Keep Army Away From Politics: Addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, said the army is happy that the government has completed its five-year term.
“We would like to congratulate the government and parliament for this feat,” he said, scrubbing aside the speculations that the army is behind any political engineering ahead of the elections.
“First there were speculations that the Senate elections might not take place, and then there were rumors that the government would not complete its term and even there was talk of delay in the elections. With time every allegation against the army proved wrong,” he claimed.
When asked about the timely holding of elections, the ISPR chief said it is the prerogative of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “But the army will extend its support when and where it will be requisitioned for election duties in line with its constitutional role,” he said.
Pakistan-India armistice
He said India has continued its ceasefire violations despite an understanding reached between the directors general military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries on May 29 to restore the ceasefire of 2003.
“We showed restraint as we are ready to give time to Indian side to respect the ceasefire,” he said, adding that Pakistan never responded to the fire targeting the military post but had to give a reply when Indians targeted the civilians.
Pakistan-Afghanistan relations
He said there is complete understanding between the two sides that Pakistan and Afghanistan are indispensable for each other. No country is more interested in peace and stability in Afghanistan than Pakistan, he added.
He also went on to say that Pakistan wanted that the US-led foreign forces must leave Afghanistan with a notion of victory and not a defeat.
PTM
The DG ISPR said that he met Manzoor Pashteen and Mohsin Dawar on the request of some tribal journalists and they told him about issues in Waziristan like check posts, missing persons and unexploded ordnance.
He also rejected allegations of the PTM that the security forces in Wana opened fire on them, killing an 8-year-old girl. He said the PTM members and Amman Committee had a scuffle during a jirga in which they opened fire on each other.
According to Maj Gen Ghafoor, the army chief said the PTM activists are also Pakistanis and the state must listen to them if their demands are genuine and within the constitutional framework. “If the state won’t listen, then who else will, Ghafoor quoted Gen Bajwa as saying.
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