Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif. PHOTO: REUTERS
According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, the COAS met Director General ISI Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam and was briefed about the internal and external security situation of the country.
The COAS appreciated the role played by the ISI for national security and lauded the contributions and sacrifices of its officers and men towards strengthening the defence of the motherland.
This visit comes just days after allegations were made against the ISI for having a hand in the attack on prominent journalist Hamid Mir.
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@Ahmed Sharif:
The correct layout for defence budget is between 26-28% which makes up to 3% of the GDP. The question here is that what exactly do we have to show for even if our armed forces are gobbling 28% of the budget and not 75% as erroneously pointed out by @Khurram. How much money has been spent to upgrade our early warning and intelligence apparatus in the absence of which, thousands have died in the fight against terror. 3% of GDP is highest in the region and yet the US Special Operations Command very nonchalantly violated Pakistani airspace, landed a stone throw away from Pakistan equivalent of WestPoint and Sandhurst, carried out that infamous operation and flew back to Bagram even without a single shot fired by our forces or a single air force asset scrambled to take down the aggressors.
My concern is that even with a 75% budget allocation, our armed forces will still be in the same sort of operational readiness as it finds itself today. As long as the army would continue to interfere in the state of affairs of the country, indulge in political shenanigans and making and breaking politicians; it would continue to lag behind in its core responsibilities which is the defence of the state from enemies - internal and external.
@ Ahmed Sharif,
Khurram is right, would you like to inspect,visit and verify this year's budget approvals for defence. Which research is carried out by 17% R&D budget, Do you want me to spell out projects and role of organizations? Keep Quiet if you don't know facts.
@Khurram: You are an idiot. If army gobles up 75% of our budget then you think this country run on the 25% left over bdget. If you say 75% of the budget goes into the politicians pocket then it can be understandable. The real figure is only 17% of the budget goes to the military that includes the research and development program of misilles program.
GEO should change their slogan to "Na geo na jeenay do".
@Adnan Siddiqi: Fauji foundation can get involved in all sorts of private enterprises and its perfectly fine. It is not a state entity and does not get funded by the defence budget. So for them to open up fertilizer factories or banks is perfectly fine. There is no uniformed member of the armed forces producing the fertilizer nor is one sitting in these banks. So check your hyperbole, it is bordering on outright nonsense.
As far as your claim of paid ISPR operatives is concerned, it is an embarrassing cop out on your part. Can't counter the majority sentiment so brand them all operatives or agents of the opposing point of view. Comes across as rather childish. Most here, unlike you, realize that Pakistan's military has been a force for good.
Musarraf send reference against Ch.Iftikar against corruption but this was made a political issue by media and political parties....latter on corruption of Arsalan surfaced ,he banned geo.,and now defaming Army and ISI...history proved he was right in both action
Former President meets Current PM.
Then Army Chief meets ISI.
What must they be up to?
Me thinks a doubles tennis match is on the anvil.
@Nikki: Pakistani Nation can tolerate everything, but not any type of crticism from anyone about the Army and its soldiers, this must be clear to Pakistan’s internal and external enemies.
Good, keep doing that. That way they continue to make the same mistakes.
@Nikki:What is Indian’s interest in this discussion?
Being a Pakistani hasn't stopped you from commenting on Indian matters. Not have any Indians asked you not to comment.
Pakistan Army Zindabad! True patriotic Pakistanis should impose ban on watching Geo at home and purchasing Jang newspaper. Commercial organisations in protest should stop using Geo for any advertisements
Please stand united for our motherland and it's first line of defence.
What did the generals do in East Pakistan? What was Osama doing in Abbottabad and where were these generals hiding when the US Marines were conducting an operation deep inside Pakistani territory for over two hours.
@Adnan Siddiqi: Anytime you see comments that are contrary to yours, the entire world becomes agents of ISPR. Give us a break! Using your silly logic we can also make a few assertions about your loyalties but that would run contrary to the point being made here. Accept that a vast majority of Pakistanis does not buy into your diatribes against the military.
@gp65: The same way you are assuming that he is a sikh!
Although Hamid Mir's shooting should be condemned, but it is amazing how much publicity and media coverage it has received. Every day dozens of ordinary people are killed throughout the country and the government is completely oblivious to it.
Yet in this instance, the PM within hours setup a panel of enquiry and even visited this guy in the hospital. Does this 'government' only cares about rich and famous? This propaganda against the forces is being fuelled from foreign lands and it seems that the 'so called' government and 'so called' political parties are facilitating and seem to be encouraging this despicable behaviour.
Its a wakeup call for ordinary citizens who love and die for the country to do something about it!! Are we going to standby and let our country be destroyed by these thieves and thugs?
@Pakistani:
Musharraf is one of the richest men on the planet .. you think he earned that money on his military/govt salary? Every ask yourselves why the military is involved in so many business enterprises? Patriotism is one thing - but don't be gullible.
@Zaka: Your urge for martial law is welcomed but unfortunately our western masters won't allow it.
Truth must come whether our agencies are hunting down their own people or not. Nobody should be allowed to hide behind sanctity of an institution.. Talat and Ayaz had maligned army hundreds of time before but as they had not mentioned any individual, no one in army cared about it. This is the first time, individual names have been mentioned which has angered army haters too. Why an individual is more important than whole institution?
@Nikki: "@sardar jk: What is Indian’s interest in this discussion? "
How do you know he is an Indian? Has every single Sikh in Pakistan either been killed, hounded out or forcibly converted? If not, why do you rule out the possibility that he may actually be a Pakistani?
Welldone Cheif!
@Pakistani one: Thank you for making this point. It is true and should be a reminder to the fifth columnists amongst our ranks that the majority of Pakistanis is with their Army, all the way and will not tolerate efforts to undermine this one national institution of ours which is responsible for preserving Pakistan's security and territorial integrity.
Which is more important for the PM, a foreign paid media group working on a agenda to create rift between the army and the government, or the most respectful institution in Pakistan. The PM Nawaz Sharif doesn’t seems to have learn his lessons. People of Pakistan are with the army, this can be rest assured.
This is high treason. You just cannot malign the Intelligence agency and the army of the same country where you are earning your living. This is beyond any doubt that this media group is on a sinister agenda. All strata of society in Pakistan fully supports the Army institution and the intelligence agency. They have more respect for them than any political party or any political person.
ISPR's paid operatives seem to be in full swing on social media.
As long as our "Sajilay Jawans" find it more lucrative to be real estate agents, bankers and producing cornflakes, fertilizer and cement; instead of being the guardians of our borders - questions and aspersions will arise.
A blind support to army does not take you too far. In every country army or intelligence agency are answerable to people. They can not operate in vacuum. And above all army is to protect its people not other way around. Pakistan is only country where people protect its army. And army has full impunity from any wrong doing.
@KA:
Why should the PM visit ISI Chief? Did the army provide any helping hand to the PM and the civilian government when it shielded a criminal and hid him at a military run cardiology for three months? Since the ISPR being the mouthpiece of the military has now taken upon itself to deal with everything under a scorching sun, let it deal itself with this matter.
@Arif: You are in the minority, on any given day, the vast, vast majority of Pakistanis support their Army to the hilt. You and the likes are a self-destructive minority in whose minds the way to salvation is through criticism of the Army. In Pakistan, the likes of you will never be allowed to prevail in this struggle of opinions. Inshallah the majority of Pakistan will always side with our Army as it is the one and only national institution that truly brings Pakistanis together.
This same majority of Pakistanis will inshallah defeat all machinations against our military and ensure that Pakistan's security and stability remains intact through preservation of our military.
Army ruled us with an iron fist for over 5 decades. Power is slowly slipping away from it as 'bloody civilians' claim their right to rule and encroach on its territory. The biggest fear of the generals is that loss of power will also mean loss of privileges, loss of entitlements, loss of extraordinary wealth. March of time .....
@sardar jk: One that you seemingly are not a part of. Excluding you and maybe a few others like you, the vast majority of Pakistan loves its Army.
@asif @sardar LONG LIVE PAKISTAN ARMY AND ISI..
@ Taseer Siddiqui
Marvellous comments . Jang Group should be careful. As it can be banned.
Secondly a Professor of Government College of Technology was also killed the next day. No one knows how his family will be consoled, whether his killers will be caught.
God Save us from Hamid Mir mania.
LONG LIVE PAKISTAN LONG LIVE ISI LONG LIVE ARMY...
GEO has become mouth piece of the incompetent rulers and corrupt judiciary - must be banned.
Present government has nexus with terrorists. Army must act now before the irreparable damage is done to the country.
Look forward to Martial Law, which is need of the day to get rid of incompetent and corrupt government. Sooner is the better.
@sardar jk:
What is Indian's interest in this discussion?
Pakistani Nation can tolerate everything, but not any type of crticism from anyone about the Army and its soldiers, this must be clear to Pakistan's internal and external enemies.
People are not impressed. We used to respect army, not any more.
180 million people are with the army save a few thousand who supports crooked politicians and a foreign paid channel. Rest assured.
People of Pakistan supports the army and not money launderers with billions of dollars stashed in London, Dubai and Swiss banks. They want the foreign paid channel on a defaming agenda of Pakistan Army to be banned without any delay, or the repercussions would be dangerous. This type of maligning the army is not possible in any other country of the world.
The Whole Pakistani Nation is with the army...and not with crooked and corrupt politicians who are there on massively rigged elections. The people of Pakistan demands the foreign paid/sponsored channel to be banned, as what they have done is high treason. Hope the army will take action against this particular channel on sinister agenda, and get it banned. Also lot of people have stopped watching this channel.
i think it is a reply message to PM to his "criminal silence" on the Geo issue
I came to know the reason " Why you didn't protect Hamid Mir" ? He is the asset of our company lol
What I saw on TV yesterday by GEO is unprecedented and very shameful indeed. This cannot happen in any other country of the world. You cannot do this under the cover of freedom of expressing even in USA or any country for that matter. I am sure government will not take any action but its about time for the institution to act in their own defense. Credit to Express and ary for standing up to this bullying.
PM should have made this visit,
@sardar jk: Pakistani Nation . Not talking about Geo and Indians .
They waited for Nawz government to defend Army but Nawaz went to Mir so Army had to respond.Gov is cornering Army yet they expect Army to behave as a part of the government.People are with its Army not with a foreign sponsored channel.
@Oton: @salman: ISI propaganda cell?
Clearly there is a huge gulf between the civilian government and the military establishment. The latter still thinks it is living in the pre 2000 Pakistan, and continues to operate like that. PMLN government on the other hand has taken a sigh of relief from the current situation. Recent muscle flexing by the army over Musharraf trial is gone, and no one is talking about Khawajas Sahibaans anymore. Also a smart move by PMLN to dissociate itself and help weaken the military establishment's grip. This is different from PPP government which tried to defend it in critical situations only to be bitten in the end. PMLN's approach of making the military busy in cleaning it's own mess, instead of defending it seems to be working quite well.
har jung haarte hai par sach sun ne par goli maarte hai
A message to the media and civilian government: Obey or we will sort you out!
Look every one in hurry . Please cool down .
What a country where inadequacies, incompetencies, and failures are appreciated. The country is going through unprecedented turmoil, and the government, and it's functionaries are scratching each other's backs.
Though not a big fan of Javed Ch. or Express TV but last night Javed Ch., Syed Talat Hussain and AM Shahid Latif made Junk group's Umar Cheema look like a clueless man. The man has been bashing army/ISI 24/7 on twitter for last 3 days but when asked simple questions face to face, he made a joke out of himself, he had not answer to even a single one of them. If they are not able to prove the allegations against ISI or its DG, do they know of the consequences? Who will they ask for help then? Isn't it a treason? Isn't it undermining the state's security by damaging the institutes of national security? PS: Express News, amongst all, has proven to be a better, balanced and patriotic channel. My heart felt appreciation for them.
Seems like COAS is planning his official visits to give hidden messages instead of working according to his professional requirements.... Disappointing !!!
@Oton: Which Nation?
Perhaps deciding strategy to give real 'danda' to GEO aka jew channel
Show of solidaruty???