Analysis: Army chief’s visit aimed at dispelling propaganda

Visit assumes great importance in backdrop of ongoing smear campaign against spy agency by Jang Group.

ISLAMABAD:

Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif’s visit to the ISI’s headquarters assumes great importance in the backdrop of the ongoing smear campaign against the spy agency by the Jang Group.

This campaign – which commenced after an attack on Geo TV’s anchor Hamid Mir in Karachi – has been received with general displeasure across the country.

The fact that the army chief spent more than three hours at the ISI’s headquarters reflects that Gen Raheel – apart from discussing important national issues – also wanted to dispel the Jang Group’s efforts to defame the institution.

Right after the attack, Hamid Mir’s brother Amir Mir pointed an accusatory finger at ISI chief Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam. The Jang Group then started what appear to be a well-thought out propaganda campaign against the ISI chief.

This campaign – which attempted to sow the seed of distrust for important national institutions in the minds of masses – has divided the media into two distinct groups.

Although Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Hamid Mir on a purely humanitarian basis at the hospital, the media outlet tried to give the impression that even the PM stands with them in their campaign against the ISI and army.

In this scenario, the army chief’s visit to the ISI’s office appears to be a manifestation of his resolve, which he expressed on April 7 while addressing a Special Service Group (SSG) at Ghazi Base Tarbela.

On the occasion, Gen Reheel, while referring to internal and external challenges, said the army would uphold the sanctity of all institutions but would resolutely preserve its own dignity and institutional pride.

It must be noted that reporting the April 17 meeting of the National Security Committee at the PM Secretariat, Jang implied that the ISI chief had to face pointed questions during the session. However, the newspaper had to publish a clarification from the government’s spokesperson on the front page the very next day.

Sources in the military said that the army, apart from considering legal action against the group, is also drafting a strategy to foil any such attack in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2014.