DG ISPR rebukes army detractors
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Saturday took aim at those who criticised the military's role in national defence, asking them to tell now whether the armed forces have fulfilled their duty or not.
"You [critics] used to say the army does not do its job - now ask them, has the army fulfilled its duty or not?" the DG ISPR said during a special interactive session with students and teachers in Islamabad days after success of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos against India's unprovoked aggression.
"Shouldn't those who spoke against the army and its officers be held accountable?" Lt Gen Chaudhry asked.
Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos on May 10, damaging Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases, and other strategic targets.
The tensions between the two-armed neighbours escalated after 26 people, most of them tourists, were killed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on April 22. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident, despite providing no public evidence. On May 7, India carried out missile strikes in Punjab and AJK, destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. Islamabad responded by downing six Indian jets.
Addressing the gathering, the military's spokesperson emphasized the critical role of youth in shaping the country's future and acknowledged their contributions as vital to national progress.
He warned of the enemy's malicious intentions and stressed the need for national unity. Pakistan is a cradle of peace, and any victory for Pakistan is essentially a victory for peace, he said.
Speaking to the students, the DG ISPR expressed optimism about the country's future. "The love you have shown for Pakistan and its armed forces is proof that our future is not only brightit is brilliant," he said.
Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that the Pakistan Army draws its strength from the people, and the people stand firmly with their armed forces.
He reaffirmed the bond between the armed forces and the people, calling civilians the "iron wall."
The DG ISPR further stated that today's and tomorrow's generations will never shy away from defending Pakistan. He also highlighted that the terrorism witnessed in Pakistan has clear links to Indian involvement.
"We must now redirect the iron wallour national unitytowards eliminating terrorism. If the people and the army stand together, no terrorist will survive in this country," he asserted. He called upon students to respect their teachers. "We must salute our educators." On behalf of the armed forces, he offered a salute to teachers across Pakistan.
Separately, the DG ISPR, hailed Iran's peace efforts in the recent Pakistan-India conflict and warned of "forces" seeking to create a rift among brotherly countries.