(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar said Thursday that it was imperative to get to the bottom of cipher issue and murder of the senior journalist Arshad Sharif so that nation can know the truth.
Addressing a press conference along with the director general Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, he said that Arshad Sharif was an icon of Pakistani journalism and a member of military family.
General Iftikhar said that army as well as entire nation stood with the journalist family at this hour of grief. However, he said that some people tried to diver the attention of journalist's murder towards the Pakistan army. General Iftikhar said that it was important to note as to who was taking mileage of this murder.
He said that all the characters involved in the murder of the journalist should be unmasked. However, at the same time, he said that it would not good to engage in blame game before the full facts of the cases came to the light.
DG ISPR said that Arshad Sharif did not want to leave Pakistan; however, ARY chief Salman Iqbal directed the channel chief executive Ammad Yousaf to send the journalist abroad as soon as possible.“Arrangements to send him Dubai were made by the ARY,” he said.
Regarding the threat alert about an attempt on the Arshad Sharif's life, DG ISPR said that this letter was issued following the order of the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that the purpose of issuing this threat alert was to make the journalist leave Pakistan. Besides, he also said that the journalist was time and again reminded that his life in danger in Pakistan.
DG ISPR also questioned that who the Waqar Ahmed and Khurram Ahmed were and whether or not the journalist knew them. Besides, he said that some people also claimed to meet Mr Sharif in London. He also questioned whether or not claims made by many people of meeting the journalist in London were fake news and disinformation.
General Iftikhar said that many this questions in this case were still unanswered and fair and independent investigation of the murder was imperative.
He said that military has asked the federal government for investigation of this case and even international and journalist organizations could be made part of the probe.
Regarding the ARY, he said that this channel promoted the fake regime change propaganda against the institutions. He said that a similar fake narrative was also spun after the murder of the Arshad Sharif to misguide the public.
DG ISPR said that ARY Chief Salman Iqbal should be brought back to Pakistan to investigations. He also questioned who were in contact with the slain journalist and how gets them in touch with him. Besides, he also said that who was footing the bill for Arshad Sharif stay in Dubai and who persuaded him to go to Kenya.
There are 34 countries around the world, which allow visa entry to Pakistanis, he said.
Regarding the cipher, he said that many truths have come to light and Pakistani ambassador was used for political ends. He said that on March 27, a piece of paper was shown in a public meeting to weave a narrative which had nothing to do with reality.
He said that ISI wanted to the place facts pertaining to the cipher before the public but the then government did not allowed that to happen.
General Iftikhar said that Army chief informed the premier about the cipher issue on March 11; however, the former premier said that it was not a big deal.
General Iftikhar said that ISI could not unearth any conspiracy behind the cipher; however, Arshad Sharif and other journalists were fed the regime change narrative.
Besides, he said that PTI leader Shahbaz Gill tried to create mutiny in army in his statement on the ARY TV. General Iftikhar said that ARY promoted the false and conspiratorial agenda against the military and targeted its leadership.
He said that neutral word was turned into a slur and martyrs were mocked and army was ridiculed at the pretext of cipher and epithets like Mir Jafer and Mir Sadiq were used against military brass for refusing to acknowledge unconstitutional demands.
He said that neutrality was decision was of the entire institution and chief of army staff.
General Iftikhar said that no one wanted to go home with the title of traitor after serving his nation for 35 years.
There was no threat to Arshad Sharif in Pakistan DG ISI
On the other hand, DG ISI said Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum said that the former government had offered indefinite extension to the army chief for foiling the no-confidence motion.
He said that he did not wanted self promotion; however, he had to face the media for the sake of his institution.“Jawans serving in my institutions have been subjected to false allegations, therefore, he decided to talk on this subject,” he said.
He said that Arshad Sharif was in contact with the agency while he was in Pakistan and still in contact when he was abroad. DG ISI said that Arshad Sharif wanted to return to Pakistan and there was no threat to his life in Pakistan.
He said that ISI investigation showed that there was no threat to his life as claimed in the KP government's threat letter.
He said that military brass being described as neutral, animals, Mir Jafer and Mir Sadiq for not any treachery, rather, refusing to be part of illegal actions.
General Anjum said that the decision of not being part of any illegal step belonged to entire institution.
He said that military has decided to keep itself to its constitutional role. General Anjum said that General Bajwa and his children were subjected to vicious attacks.
DG ISI said that to fail the no confidence motion against it, the former government offered indefinite extension to army chief, which he turned down.
He said that if COAS was traitor then why praises were heaped on him in the past, why wanted to give him an extension.“If the chief is a traitor why you are still meeting in the secret,” he said.
General Anjum said that Pakistan foreign threats were not threatening Pakistan; however, it was hate, which resulted into political instability in the country.
DG ISI said that it was the hate which resulted into bifurcation of Pakistan.
He said that they had no objections over someone protest, sit in or long march; however, large gathering also pose threats.
It is our responsibility to protect the public, he said.
To a question about journalist, he said that Pakistani journalists were working under difficult circumstance and he opposed the terming journalists as lifafas.
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