DG ISPR refutes reports of army chief eyeing president’s office

ISLAMABAD: ISPR DG Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry rejected the reports that Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir is aiming to become the President of Pakistan, as some circles continue spreading disinformation amid the ongoing organised propaganda against the national institutions both within and outside Pakistan.

“Claims about Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir becoming Pakistan’s president are completely baseless,” he told The Economist in an exclusive interview.

The rumours had a started with a vlog in which a journalist made the claim. What followed was business as usual, as people started sharing the “news”.

Although the fake news was rejected by political leaders immediately, it is for the first time that the military’s media wing has formally discussed the issue in response to a question.

With the social media buzzing with the disinformation, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had said on July 10, “We are fully aware of who is behind the malicious campaign targeting President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the Chief of Army Staff.”

NO BACKCHANNEL TALKS

To rubbish the disinformation campaign, the ISPR chief had previously rubbished the claims of talks or backchannel contacts with Imran Khan — the incarcerated PTI founding chairman.

In this connection, Lt-Gen Chaudhry said “the military is not interested in dialogue with political parties”.

At the same time, he had rejected the impression of rift in the army’s ranks over the issue of Imran. He described it as a rumour to promote their [of Imran and PTI] political agendas.

IT’S AN UNENDING SERIES

Meanwhile, it is not for the first that the incumbent army chief has experienced a smear campaign, although the subject is different, which shows how organised propaganda works continuously. Its basis and target is always to generate a multiplying effect.

In this situation, the political leaders have to intervene. These X posts by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are from 2023.