ISLAMABAD: Following the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director-recent general’s press briefing on the current political situation, politicians have praised the Army’s stance and statements.
PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari called the press conference of DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar “a breath of fresh air for democracy” on Twitter.
He stated that it is the responsibility of every Pakistani individual and institution to support and protect democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law.
“The @OfficialDGISPR press conference is a breath of fresh air for democracy. Every institution, as well as every Pakistani, has a responsibility to support democracy, the constitution, and the rule of law “Bilawal penned the piece.
The transition of Parliament, the judiciary, and the establishment from controversial to constitutional roles, according to the PPP chairperson, will be difficult.
“Democracy, democracy, and more democracy are the answers to all of Pakistan’s problems.” No power on Earth will be able to stop Pakistan’s progress if we continue on this path “Added he.
‘It’s time for accountability,’ Maryam Nawaz Sharif, PML-N Vice President, chastised former Prime Minister Imran Khan for jeopardizing national security to save his government.
“It is time to hold you accountable for your despicable efforts […] to play with national security in order to save [your] regime,” Maryam wrote on Twitter.
“Face the consequences, don’t flee like you always do because this country won’t let you this time,” she wrote.
In a series of tweets, Maryam said that Khan’s “lies” have been shredded into pieces.
“To keep power, you played a dangerous game […] you used the NSC forum for your conspiracy plot. For the bases that were never demanded, you created a false narrative of ‘absolutely not.’ Maryam wrote, “You begged the establishment for an NRO and lied that they gave you those ‘options.'”
‘False claims have been exposed’
Meanwhile, PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar claimed that Khan’s false claims and narrative were exposed by the military spokesperson.
“The DG ISPR categorically stated that neither the word “conspiracy” nor a US demand for bases was mentioned in the statement issued by the NSC meeting,” he said.
Imran Khan, according to Khokhar, blatantly lied about opposition leaders approaching him through the COAS.
“Today, the DG ISPR revealed that it was Imran who sought assistance from the army chief.
“Khan was unable to perform and fulfill all of the promises he made in his election manifesto, and he attempted to deceive the people by developing a false narrative,” Khokhar said.
He demanded that the former prime minister publicly apologize for his lies and attempts to politicize security institutions.
ISPR DG Maj-General Babar Iftikhar addressed a press conference on Thursday, clarifying that the word “conspiracy” was not used in the statement released following a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) last month.
The DG ISPR told a press conference about the recently held 79th Formation Commanders’ Conference that he couldn’t comment on what was discussed, but that the word “conspiracy” was not used.
Major General said that no such demand had been made at any level in response to a question about former Prime Minister Khan’s statement about providing military bases.
“However, if the military bases were requested, the army would take the same stance of ‘absolutely not.'”
The DG ISPR also flatly denied “rumors” of any political leaders meeting with the army chief or his representative in Pakistan or elsewhere.
The establishment did not present options to then-prime minister Khan, according to the DG ISPR. During the impasse, he said, the Prime Minister’s Office contacted the military leadership to resolve the situation.
“At the time, the political parties were not prepared to talk to each other to break the impasse,” he said. “The army chief and the director-general of the ISI came to the Prime Minister’s Office at their request to act as a mediator.”
