Pak Army is national army, all political parties are respectable: DG ISPR

ISLAMABAD:

The chief military spokesperson said on Tuesday the Pakistan Army was a “national army” and that all politicians and parties were “respectable”.

At his maiden press conference as the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry briefed the media on the current security situation both on eastern and western borders as well as other professional matters.

However, during the question-answer session, the ISPR chief also spoke about the role of the army in the Punjab elections, social media campaign against the military leadership and possibility of disciplinary action against some retired generals.

“Pakistan Army is a national army… for us all politicians, all parties are respectable,” Maj-Gen Chaudhry said, while replying to a question. He added that everyone had the right to have an opinion, stressing that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir had reiterated that the people of Pakistan were the source of power.

“The army will not want to go to any one ideology or party. Every region is represented in the army. The cooperation of the army with them is to the extent of operations against terrorism,” he stressed.

The ISPR DG, while answering another question regarding the campaign against the army on social media, said that using army for a particular political or religious cause could lead to chaos.

He further said that both the people and the army would not want the army to be associated with any particular political party. “Political leaders should strengthen our thinking. The army and the politicians have a non-political relationship, it will not be appropriate to give it a political colour.”

When asked about the arrest of Lt-Gen (retd) Amjad Shoaib, the ISPR DG said: “Veterans (retired soldiers) are our asset. Their sacrifices are for the forces of Pakistan. Veteran groups are not political organisations, but charitable organisations. They should not do politics.”

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Regarding the provision of military personnel for the election in Punjab, he said that the deployment of the troops was done by the federal government under Article 245 of the Constitution.

“The position that the Ministry of Defence had told the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Supreme Court [in this matter] is based on the facts on the ground, the chief military spokesperson told reporters.

When asked about the current army chief’s statement in parliament wherein he stated, “We should talk about our Pakistan instead of Naya or Purana Pakistan”, the DG ISPR explained that, the army chief had said that to deal with the challenges, all the stakeholders of the country should establish a consensus.

When asked if Imran Khan had become a security risk and was there going to be an emergency or martial law in the country after Eidul Fitr, Gen Chaudhry replied that propaganda against the military authorities was being carried out on social media through anonymous accounts. “Now it is up to you how you see it.”

The ISPR chief was also asked whether Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed should be court-martialed as there was perception that both ex-generals exceeded their mandate and were responsible for the current mess.

Maj-Gen Chaudhry replied that for any news related to the army, “keep your eyes only on the press release of the ISPR” as those were the only source. “Many fake accounts of ISPR are active on social media … keep an eye on authentic accounts only. In this way, you will not go to anxiety-type questions and assumptions.”

He emphasised that the army had its own detailed system. “If there is any criticism, it is dealt with, but the system is based on facts and due process. Its aim is to provide justice to all parties. Its purpose is not to act on the basis of rumours.”

The ISPR DG further said that there was a difference between the defence budgets of Pakistan and India as the budgets of the neighbouring country had been higher for decades, but every single soldier of the Pakistani army was dedicated to the spirit.

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He said that India’s aggressive ambitions and baseless allegations could not change the history. “Kashmir’s officially recognised disputed status cannot be changed. Kashmir has never been an integral part of India, nor will it ever be.”

The army chief made the first visit to the Line of Control (LoC) and conveyed the message that the Pakistani Army is capable of defence, and if necessary, the battle can be taken to the enemy’s territory, he said: adding: “Any adventure will be met with strong response.”

In Pulwama, the Indian authorities launched an attack with their own planning,” the ISPR DG said, while briefing the media about security-related matters. He particularly condemned 56 ceasefire violations by India along the LoC.

Maj-Gen Chaudhry maintained that those violations by the neighbouring country included 22 cases of speculative fire incidents, three airspace violations, six minor incidents of ceasefire violations and 25 technical air violations. In the meanwhile, Pakistan shot down six Indian spy quadcopters.

The DG ISPR stressed that Pakistan was forever prepared to fully counter such aggressions by India. “India’s oppressive ambitions [in Illegally Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir], baseless allegations and false claims cannot change historical facts,” he said.

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“After taking office, the army chief made his first visit to the LoC and sent a clear message that Pakistan’s forces are prepared to defend every corner of the country,” he said. “If need be, then we can take this battle into the enemy’s territory. We are a battle-hardened army and are forces which are led from the front by the officers,” he stressed.

India had a properly planned effort in February 2019 in Pulwama, as verified by their own governor Satya Pal Malik and ex-army chief,” the DG ISPR said, underscoring that it was the Pakistani forces’ “operational preparedness” that defeated their efforts.

No ‘no-go’ area

During his press conference, the ISPR DG also lauded the security forces for their counter-terrorism efforts. He stressed that terrorists, plotters and facilitators involved in the incidents of terrorism were also exposed and arrested.

He paid tribute to the 137 officers and men who were martyred and 117 officers and men injured during the operations since January. “The entire nation pays tribute to these brave sons and their families, who sacrificed their precious lives for the peace and security of the country,” he said.

“No one should doubt the resolve, commitment and capabilities of the Pakistan Army, law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) and intelligence agencies to eradicate terrorism,” he said. “Our successful war against terrorism will continue till the end of the last terrorist.”

In the war against terrorism, General Chaudhry stated, “scholars and media have also played their full role, which is commendable” as they had collectively “rejected the false narrative of the TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan]”.

“No individual or armed group can be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” he said. “Societies develop only with the supremacy and observance of the law.”

In the present year, 219 events of terrorist activity have been reported in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), followed by 206 n Balochistan, six in Sindh and five in Punjab.

General Chaudhry also revealed that a total of 8,269 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) have been conducted as a result of which 1,535 terrorists had been killed or apprehended.

Of these, 4,040 IBOs were conducted in Balochistan, another 3,591 in K-P, 119 in Punjab and 519 operations were conducted in Sindh. On average, over 70 IBOs were being conducted daily by the army, police and LEAs since January, he continued.

He said that the successful IBOs against terrorist networks led to the identification of the suicide attacker in the February 11 bombing at Mari Petroleum Company in North Waziristan.

Speaking about the January 23 attack in the Police Lines in Peshawar, the ISPR DG said that the suicide bomber had belonged to the Jamaatul Ahrar [and the attack was carried out] in collaboration with the TTP.

Gen Chaudhry spoke about the February 23 Karachi Police Office Building attack. All the three of attackers were killed. “Three masterminds of this attack were also arrested afterward,” he said, noting that explosives and other ammunition were also retrieved from them.

Border fencing

The ISPR DG told the reporters that most of the work on border fencing had been completed along a total of 3,141 kilometres in an effort to curtail terrorist activity.

“Under border management, more than 98% of work on the 2,611 kms Pak-Afghan border has been completed, while more than 85% of the work on the Pakistan-Iran border has been completed,” he said.

“Eighty-five per cent of the forts have been completed to prevent the movement of terrorists on the Pak-Afghan border,” he continued, “while 33% of the forts on the Pak-Iran border have been completed and the work on the rest of the forts is going on rapidly.”

Through a dedicated effort, the ISPR DG said, “the Pakistan Army has completed demining in 65% of the tribal areas in K-P.”

He also highlighted the ongoing socio-economic uplift project to ensure stability and perpetual peace in the region, particularly, in the tribal areas of K-P. “A total of 3,654 developmental projects were launched in K-P at a cost of Rs162 billion,” he said.

“About 85% of projects, including the construction and rehabilitation of markets, educational institutions, hospitals and communication infrastructure have been completed. Apart from this, 95% of the affected population has also returned to their homes,” he continued.

“The peace and order situation in Balochistan has improved compared to earlier,” he said, stressing that “the security of CPEC and other projects is being ensured by the Pakistani forces and other law-enforcement agencies by making great sacrifices.”

Army expenses to be reduced

He also revealed that the Pakistan Army, after a detailed review of its operational and especially non-operational expenses in view of the current economic conditions, has decided that all types of expenses will be reduced for the betterment of the economy.

“In this regard, along with the reduction in petroleum, ration, construction, non-operational procurement, training and non-operational movement, simulator training and online meetings are being conducted using modern technology to reduce costs in this area as well,” he said.

Responding to a journalist’s query on former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Jawed Bajwa’s continued influence on the military, the ISPR DG maintained that while “everyone was entitled to their opinion”, the centre of “real power” was the nation.

This was Gen Chaudhry’s first press conference since taking the office of the ISPR DG in December, when he replaced Lt-Gen Babar Iftikhar. He maintained that the army was focused on rooting out terrorism from the country and respects all political parties.