RAWALPINDI: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Major General Babar Iftikhar Thursday said that any attempt to create a rift between masses and the armed forces is against the national interests and would be foiled. "Constructive criticism is right, but character assassination through fake rumours and propaganda is not acceptable at all," he added.

Addressing a press conference Major General Babar Iftikhar said that a malicious social media campaign was being run against the Pakistan Army and its leadership. "By using technology, fake audio clips of retired army generals are being spread to create a rift between the armed forces and masses, which is immoral, unlawful and against the national interests,” he added.

The DG ISPR said the military had a lot on its plate already, and was busy tackling the pre-existing issues. "We cannot get involved in something else and dragging us into something else and blaming us for it is not justified."

He clarified that the word "conspiracy" was not used in the statement issued after a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) last month.

The DG ISPR said he could not discuss what was discussed in the meeting but noted that the word "conspiracy" was not used in the statement. "Whether there was mention of word conspiracy, I think not," he said.

He, however, said that the stance of the military leadership was conveyed in the meeting as well as the statement issued after it. "Whatever the meeting concluded is present in the statement," he added. He said that Pakistan's military agencies are working day and night against such plots and would not let them become successful.

Babar Iftikhar said the military leadership would give the same input at the meeting of the Parliament’s Committee on National Security, which was earlier given at the NSC meeting. He said what discussed in the NSC meeting was confidential, but its meeting minutes could be declassified if the government decides so.

He said that issuance of demarche was not peculiar to hatching of any conspiracies, and could also be given for other issues. "In this case, the decision to issue demarche was taken because language of cipher was undiplomatic and equal to interference,” he said.

While responding to a question about former prime minister Khan's statement about providing military bases, Major General said that no such demand had been made at any level. "However, the army would have the same stance of 'absolutely not' in case the military bases were asked for."

He said that Formation Commanders Conference expressed confidence in the measures taken by the Pakistan Army for internal security, upholding the Constitution and law and termed the same as the best step in the right direction. "The participants in the conference were unanimous of the view that democracy, strength of institutions, supremacy of law and role of institutions within the ambit of Constitution guarantee national interests,” he said.

The Army spokesman buried all speculations about an extension to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), saying that General Qamar Javed Bajwa would retire on Nov 29, 2022. "Chief of Army Staff is neither seeking any extension nor he will accept it, no matter what [the situation is]," Major General Babar Iftikhar said while responding to a question, adding that he wanted to put the speculations to rest once and for all.

The DG ISPR said that the establishment did not put forth options before the then prime minister Khan. He, however, said that during the deadlock, the Prime Minister's Office contacted the military leadership to help resolve the political crisis. "The political parties were not ready for talks with each other to end the deadlock at that time," he said. "The army chief and the DG ISI visited the PM's Office at their request to play the role of mediator." Options of the no-confidence motion, PM’s resignation and dissolution of assemblies after withdrawal of the motion were discussed there, he said, adding that the ex-prime minister had declared the third option as “acceptable”.

Asked to comment on Imran Khan's assertion that the nuclear assets had been left at the mercy of thieves, the Army spokesman said one should be careful while talking about such a sensitive issue. “Every government moved forward the country’s nuclear programme, and brought it to the current stage," he said.

The DG ISPR pointed out Pakistan’s Command and Control system and mechanism of security of nuclear assets were one of the best in the international evaluations. "We should not bring this issue in our political talks," he added. He said the word 'neutral' did not describe Pakistan Army’s role in politics rather, he added, he had been saying that the armed forces had nothing to do with politics. "Our role is what clearly mentioned in the Constitution," he said. He said that the word neutral did not appropriately describe the army's stance. Instead, the word apolitical did that better. "There is no interference by the army in any by-election or local bodies election." He said that claims were made that "calls were received", therefore, evidence should be brought to the fore if there were any. He said it had been the demand of political parties for the last 74 years that the Army had nothing to do with politics, "and we fulfilled their demand". He said there were no complaints about receiving any calls during by-polls and local bodies elections.

To another question, the military spokesman said that the Pakistan Army was consulted and it was onboard with regard to the ex-prime minister’s visit to Russia.

About the visit of Army chief and another military official to the Prime Minister’s House on the night of voting on the no-confidence resolution, he said that it was absolutely false and vulgar news released by a leading media institution like the BBC. "Nothing happened there. The Army chief and DG ISI visited the Prime Minister’s House when they were called there,” he said.

He told a questioner that the armed forces were doing their job and what happened in the recent past was a part of political process. “How come the Pakistan Army makes part of this issue? We are nobody to give an NRO [to any politician,” he added.

Asked as to whether there were any security threats to former prime minister Imran Khan. "Such things are looked after by the Ministry of Interior. If there is anything, then that must have been taken care of, and they are supposed to do so," he said.

The military spokesperson also clarified that the Army chief did not attend Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's oath-taking ceremony because he was ill and there was no other reason.

Maj-Gen Iftikhar said the military would "absolutely not" impose martial law ever in future, noting that democracy was the only way forward for Pakistan and the COAS had time and again reiterated the same.

He said that the institution of army functions as per unity of command; all its soldiers and officers look towards the army chief. “Neither there is any change in this reality nor there will be any,” he said adding there was no division in the Pakistan Army and whole army takes pride in their leadership.

He told the media that in the last three months, 128 terrorists were killed while 270 were apprehended and 68 jawans and officers also embraced martyrdom. To a question, the DG ISPR said that no talks were being held with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), rather he said the security forces were after them and their capacity had been dented a lot. 

Asked to comment whether the country now had achieved political stability, he said political stability drives economy and country’s security. “I think when the new government comes, the stock market moves up and dollar comes down. But in my view, it will take some time to achieve sustainability,” he added.

He said that CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] was a strategic project and a reflection of Pak-China friendship. "Regardless of situation in the country, CPEC is moving forward,” he said.