Web Desk — Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, in a direct jibe at PTI chief Imran Khan, said on Thursday that it is quite surprising that the former prime minister meets Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at night and calls him a “traitor the next morning”.

“Why did you meet the commander-in-chief in hiding if he is a traitor? Meeting [him] is your right but how is it possible that you meet at night and call [him] a traitor in the day?” asked the DG ISI.

Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum said that the military was called “neutral and an animal” as they had committed treason for refusing to be part of an “illegal” decision. He said that the refusal to do the “illegal job” was not the decision of a single person or army chief but of the entire institution.

Imran Govt Offered COAS Another Extension
Lt. Gen Nadeem Anjum revealed, “Former government offered the army chief an extension for an indefinite period if he manages to fail the no-trust motion but Gen Bajwa turned down the offer.”

The ISI DG, who appeared before the media for the first time, said he had to come before the public when he saw the lies were being spread conveniently and becoming acceptable.

“I broke the silence when I saw that there was a risk of ‘fitna, fasad’ in country and institution just because lies were not being declared lies,” he added.

Sharif was in contact with an institution
DG ISI said that Arshad Shari was in contact with the institution when he was in Pakistan. He also shared that he is in contact with his Kenyan counterpart on the matter of Sharif’s death.

The government formed the high-level inquiry team because we were not satisfied with what the Kenyan authorities claimed, said the DG ISI, adding that the members of his agency were deliberately removed from the inquiry committee.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar clarified that the military had decided not to include ISI and Military Intelligence officials in the probe as unnecessary fingers were being raised at the institution.

The Murder of Journalist Arshad Sharif
DG ISPR Lt. Gen Babar Iftikha on this occasion said there was a need to review elements used to promote a particular narrative and incite people, making baseless allegations against the institutions, leadership, and even the army chief in order to divide the society and cause chaos. He also expressed condolence with Arshad’s family saying, “Surely it was a sad incident. During this painful time, we all stand with Arshad Sharif’s family.”

Lt Gen Iftikhar said that the press conference is being done at a time when it is “important to present the facts correctly,” so “fact, fiction, and opinion” can be differentiated.

The DG ISPR said, “Institutions, leadership, and even the chief of army staff have been accused without a reason to create an extraordinarily chaotic situation.”

“Facts linked with the cipher and Arshad Sharif’s death need to be found. So there is no ambiguity left in this regard,” added the DG ISPR.

KPK Government Issued Threat Alert for Arshad Sharif

He also said that it was the KP government that issued a threat alert regarding security threats to slain journalist Arshad Sharif. He said that the threat alert seemed like an act to force Sharif to leave the country. He said on August 5, 2022, that a threat alert was issued on special directives of KP chief minister Mahmood Khan.

Later, the journalist was asked to leave the country. The DG ISPR asked who was making arrangements for Arshad Sharif’s boarding and lodging in UAE. Who convinced him to go to Kenya? “Salman Iqbal told [Senior Executive Vice President ARY News] Ammad Yousuf after Shahbaz Gill’s arrest to send Arshad out of the country,” he said, adding that the ARY CEO should be brought back to Pakistan and made part of the investigations into the death of the journalist.

The DG ISPR said that during the media trial the private TV channel (ARY News) acted as a spin doctor in spreading the false narrative against the Pakistan Army and its leadership.

Cipher Was Discussed With Imran Khan

The military’s spokesman also shared that the army chief also discussed the cipher with the PTI chief at Kamra when he had visited the facility as prime minister, adding that Imran Khan had said it himself that the document “was not a big deal”.

The DG ISPR said, “It was surprising for us when Imran Khan in March 27 rally flashed the paper in an effort to give a narrative which was not linked with the reality in any way”

The military spokesperson said that the ISI in a “very clear and professional way” informed the National Security Committee (NSC) that they had found no evidence of any type of conspiracy against the government. He said that the NSC was briefed that it was the envoy’s personal assessment and the strategy envoy had recommended was the same one recommended to the Foreign Office.

“False news and rumors were spread in order to take political benefit and to create a specific narrative the no-confidence motion was a part of regime change operation instead of a constitutional, political and legal affair,” said the DG ISPR.