ISLAMABAD – Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday warned that a single individual’s personal ambitions and political narrative had escalated into a serious national security threat, asserting that “nothing is above the State of Pakistan.”
The DG ISPR congratulated the newly appointed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and announced that the CDF headquarters had formally begun functioning, saying the establishment of the headquarters had been a longstanding requirement. He was addressing the journalists and TV anchors in Rawalpindi on Friday.
He said the purpose of the briefing was to highlight an “internal national security threat,” adding that one individual had “elevated his ego and ambitions to the extent that he claims, ‘If not me, then nothing.’” He said this person’s politics had ended, and he was now “working with external elements,” posing a direct threat to national security.
The DG ISPR said the armed forces did not represent any political ideology, adding that the military respected all political leadership, but “will not tolerate attacks on the army or attempts to drag the institution into politics.” He stressed that no one would be allowed to “create rifts between the army and the people.”
He said the armed forces largely came from the middle and lower-middle classes and would not accept any attacks on the institution or its leadership. “You may conduct your politics, but keep the army out of it,” he said.
The DG ISPR cautioned that any attempt to incite the public against the army would not be tolerated. He questioned whether such individuals sought to weaken Pakistan’s defence forces to pave the way for foreign influence. “This person disregards the Constitution and the law to forward an anti-state narrative,” he said.
The DG ISPR also criticised the use of foreign platforms including Indian and Afghan social media accounts, to spread anti-army content. He said a coordinated pattern could be observed where tweets originated from abroad, amplified by troll networks and Indian media. He also mentioned recent statements made on Indian television attacking Pakistan’s armed forces.
Referring to recent propaganda surrounding the notification of the Chief of Defence Forces, he said a “flood of misinformation” was spread under the guise of freedom of expression, adding that Article 19 did not permit attacks against the state, national security or the armed forces.
The DG ISPR alleged that the same individual had repeatedly encouraged negotiations with “Khawarij terrorists” and opposed intelligence-based operations. “By this logic, when India attacked, he would have gone out with a begging bowl asking for talks,” he remarked.
He said the political narrative being pushed was part of a “terror-crime nexus” involving drug money, non-custom-paid vehicles, kidnapping for ransom, and other criminal activities. “This is not politics—this is a mental disorder,” he said.
Gen Chaudhry emphasised that the armed forces had no identity or purpose outside the State of Pakistan. He questioned why those criticizing the military did not address issues within the province where they held government for over a decade.
“The state comes before all personal ambitions,” he said, adding that no one would be allowed to undermine Pakistan’s security institutions or mislead the public.
