Pakistan’s spy agency ISI unfolded many secrets for the first time in an explosive interview by ISI chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum along with Director General ISPR Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar.
Talking about former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “Long March”, Gen Anjum said that there is no external threat to Pakistan, however, there is an internal threat due to this political turmoil. “When you do politics on the basis of hate and divide, this harms the country and the same was the reason for Pakistan’s dismemberment,” reported The Nation. On PTI’s long march, he said every political party has the right to organize a march but within peaceful means and if there is any threat to the country then we would intervene.
Regarding their working relationship with Khan, they said both Army and ISI refused to do illegal and unconstitutional acts asked by him, which was why he (Imran) dubbed these state institutions as ‘Mir Jaffar’ and ‘Mir Sadiq’ and ‘neutrals’, reported The Nation.
Addressing a rare and unprecedented joint news conference at the ISPR headquarters, Rawalpindi, Director General ISI Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum said, “We could commit a mistake, however, we cannot be traitors or conspirator.”
“If the commander-in-chief is a traitor then why did you meet him in hiding? Meeting [him] is your right but it cannot be possible that you meet at night and call [him] a traitor in the day,” asked the DG ISI.
When asked by many journalists what prompted him to appear before the media, Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum said, “I have decided to appear before the media after the decision of the institution, and the institution was being targeted and maligned and our soldiers who are giving sacrifices for the motherland, baseless accusations against them are not acceptable”.
He further disclosed that last March the previous government in order to fail the no-confidence motion, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was offered an unlimited extension, but he turned down the offer, reported The Nation. DG ISPR said the appointment of the new Army Chief will take place on time in accordance with the constitutional requirements and in the due time frame.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Babar presented all evidence of Arshad Sharif’s departure from Peshawar airport including his tickets and other documents, and made it clear that he left under the pressure of Imran Khan, reported The Nation.
“A threat alert was issued by the KP government against Arshad Sharif, which the federal government or agencies never knew,” he said. “There were reports that he (Arshad Sharif) did not want to leave the country but he kept being reminded that he was facing a threat to his life,” he said.
He termed the murder of Arshad Sharif as most unfortunate and said the slain journalist was an “icon of journalism in Pakistan”. He noted and eulogized the services of late Arshad Sharif in defence sector reporting and said that members of his family had served in the army, adding that he always felt the pain of martyred officers.
Talking more about the diplomatic cypher, Gen Babar Iftikhar said that Army Chief Gen Bajwa had discussed the matter with the then PM Imran Khan on 11 March and the army chief termed it “not a big thing”.
“However, it was surprising for us when on March 27 a piece of paper was waved before the nation and an attempt was made to build a narrative that was far from facts,” the DG ISPR said.
