“Facts linked with the cypher and Arshad Sharif’s death need to be found:” DG ISPR
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar on Thursday said, it was very important to get to the facts of the major events regarding the death of senior journalist Arshad Sharif and cypher so there is no ambiguity left in this regard.
DG ISPR Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar and DG ISI Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum hold a joint press conference to correct the facts on the death of senior journalist Arshad Sharif.
He said that this conference is being held at a time when the correct understanding of the facts is very important so that fact, fiction and opinion can be differentiated and the truth can be brought before everyone.
Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar shared that PM Shehbaz has been informed about the press conference.
“Institutions and their leadership, even the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), were unduly blamed and an attempt was made to create division between people and institutions,” DG ISPR said.
He said that the reason for Arshad Sharif’s fame was investigative journalism, so when the case of the cypher came to light, Arshad Sharif conducted several programs on it.
He also highlighted that the journalist had also interviewed the then prime minister Imran Khan on the issue, adding that at the time it was claimed that he was shown the document.
“It was very important to get to the facts of the major events regarding the death of senior journalist Arshad Sharif and cypher so there is no ambiguity left in this regard,” Army’s spokesman said.
DG ISPR revealed that the then prime minister Imran Khan was informed by Chief of Army Staff on March 11 adding that Imran Khan had said it himself that the document “was not a big deal”.
“But it was surprising for us when Imran Khan in Islamabad rally on March 27 dramatically waved a piece of paper to give a narrative which was not linked with the reality,” DG ISPR added.
Lt. Gen. Babar Iftikhar added that the ISI in a “very clear and professional way” informed the national Security Committee that they had found no evidence of any type of conspiracy against the government.
He said that, “No evidence of any kind of conspiracy was found in the investigation of the cypher and this evidence is part of the record, we wanted to put the evidence before the nation, but we left this decision on the PTI government,” adding that, “but the then government used this cypher to create a narrative of regime change operation.”
“If the Chief of Army Staff is a traitor then why did you meet him in hiding?” DG ISI asks to Imran Khan
While lambasting PTI supremo Imran Khan, Director General (DG) Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum said that it is not possible that the former prime minister can meet army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the night and then call him a “traitor in the day”.
DG ISI revealed that the purpose of today’s press conference was not about himself but for the soldiers of Pakistan Army who were maligned to gain personal political interests.
He said that the martyred of Lasbela chopper crash was also maligned for the political interests, adding that, “I will answer your first question about the background of titles like Mir Jafar, Mir Sadiq and Traitor.”
He furthered that institutions and their heads were given the title of Mir Jafar, Mir Sadiq and traitor as they refused to fulfill unconstitutional and illegal desires.
“I should also tell you that in March, the COAS was also offered an extension of his tenure for an indefinite period and the offer was also rejected that the institution has to be transited from the controversial to the constitutional role,” DG ISI claimed.
DG ISI while referring to the extension offer lashed out at PTI Chairman saying, “You have the right to express your opinion, I respect that right but I must ask that if you believe that your army chief was a traitor and Mir Jafar, then why you used to praise him in the past,” further adding that, “if you believe that your army chief was a traitor, then why were you extending his tenure to indefinite period?
