RAWALPINDI – Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar is addressing a presser in Rawalpindi, presenting armed forces narrative after the death of journalist Arshad Sharif.
Pakistan Army spokesperson started his presser, saying he will clear the air on the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif and the circumstances surrounding it.
At the outset of the media talk, Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar mentioned that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is aware of the presser, saying that it is crucial to unveil the circumstances due to which a specific narrative is being built and people are being misled.
DG ISPR said a particular narrative was plotted to incite masses against the institutions, its leadership and even the COAS. Army Chief was directly targeted and faced wrath in yet another attempt to divide forces and people.
Armed forces spokesperson said called slain journalist Arshad Sharif an icon of Pakistani journalism, mentioning that he was the son of a soldier and the brother of a martyr.
He condoled with Arshad’s family, calling his death a sad incident. Commending Arshad’s legacy, Gen Babar clarified that he and his institution holds no grudge against the former despite the fact that he carried an extreme narrative on cipher controversy.
KP govt issued letter about threats to Arshad Sharif’s life
Shedding light on Arshad’s departure from his homeland, he revealed that the provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa hatched an assassination plot. Later, he revealed that the slain journalist was compelled to leave Pakistan after he was informed about the threats to his life.
He continued saying that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government did not share any information about death threats with armed forces or intelligence agencies.
The spokesperson said Arshad Sharif was forced to leave the country with the help of this threat letter, mentioning that the slain journalist did not want to leave his homeland but he kept getting information on the isse.
Sharing his information about Arshad’s departure from country, he said ARY CEO Salman Iqbal ordered to send Arshad Sharif abroad and later a ticket was booked for Dubai, according to which he was supposed to return in the second week of September.
Gen Babar added that former anchor then managed to leave South Asian nation on August 10, from the KP capital for Dubai, saying he was escorted by security personnel on directives of provincial administration.
He revealed that no one forced the TV show host to leave Pakistan or Dubai, he however raised questions that who forced him to leave.
Another question raised by military spokesperson was that who was hosting him in Kenya? and Who was the person with whom Sharif remain in contact.
DG ISPR mentioned that many questions have to be answered as he called for a transparent and fair probe.
ARY News maligned armed forces with targeted campaign
Some of the journalists including Arshad Sharif picked the narrative of the former government and mentioned that a campaign was launched to malign the armed forces after it, he said.
ISPR DG mentioned that in this media trial, ARY News played the role of a spin doctor in pushing a false narrative, saying the National Security Council meeting was presented in the wrong context.
More to follow…
