Incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan is propagating a narrative against the armed forces that has become a “national security threat,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday—though he did not name the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder directly.
Addressing a press conference, he noted the headquarters of the Chief of Defense Forces had been inaugurated. “This was debated a lot in the media, and we understand that the character of warfare has changed—now there are multi-domain operations taking place. It’s no more just land, sea and air; it’s in space, it’s in cyberspace, it is the informational domain, it’s intelligence-based, and war is fought in multiple domains,” he said.
“The wars have become violent, short and intense, so to get efficiency, efficacy and economy of effort in that, the CDF headquarter was a long-awaited essential requirement, and it’s not only in Pakistan, but there are more than a dozen countries, almost more than 70 countries, where synergetic headquarters of the chief of defense are available,” he said. However, he said, this briefing was aimed at outlining internal security challenges. He stressed that nothing and no one is above the state.
In a clear reference to the PTI founder—though without saying his name—he said the incarcerated politician’s “ego and desires had grown to such an extent that he believes the world would cease to exist if not for him.” Describing what he dubbed a “delusional mindset” of a “person captive of his own thoughts,” he said the narrative promoted by this particular political figure has “evolved into a national security threat.”
Stressing the armed forces respected Pakistan’s political leadership, he reiterated that the Army should be kept away from politics. “We will not allow anyone to create a rift between Pakistan’s Army and the people,” he said. “We will not allow you to incite the people against the Army,” he added.
Noting Article 19 of the Constitution grants freedom of expression, he said it carries certain restrictions and does not permit anyone to speak against the state and national security. However, he said, the “mentally disturbed individual” had recently posted a tweet asking his supporters to target the military leadership that stood firm against an enemy eight times stronger in Operation Bunyamum Marsoos. “There is an entire science behind this,” the ISPR DG said. He warned that anyone attacking the armed forces “under their own political mindset” should expect a response.
He said that whenever anyone met the political figure, “he propagates a narrative against the state of Pakistan and the military.” In this situation, he said, it was “very important” for the military’s media wing to clarify, remove all ambiguities and doubts, and say what needed to be said. “We need to understand how this narrative is working, and unfortunately, how it is working in deep collusion with external actors,” he said.
The military spokesman then played a series of video clips from international media, primarily India. He also shared screenshots of social media posts, primarily from Afghanistan, as well as those from PTI supporters and journalists based outside of Pakistan.
‘No free lunch’
He said the armed forces were standing between the Hindutva mindset in India and their hegemonic design, and the people of Pakistan. “It is these armed forces that are standing between the khawarij, terrorists, Fitna al-khawarij, Fitna al-Hindustan operating from Afghanistan and the people, and we also know for a fact that every country has an Army,” he said. “It is a famous saying that there will always be an Army in a country, but if it is not yours, it will be your enemy’s. So, the one who attacks their own Army and its leadership, is he trying to create space for someone else’s Army? What is his design? Why is he trying to do that?” he questioned.
“We are clear, and the people of Pakistan are clear that this cannot happen, because they understand, we understand, that you can fool some of the people all the time, all of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all the time,” he said.
He said anyone who meets “this person”—another reference to Khan—peddles a narrative against the state of Pakistan, especially the armed forces of Pakistan and its leadership. “Tell me, under which law, rules and Constitution can this be allowed? Which politics in Pakistan allows you to go and meet a convict, and a narrative is continuously built from there against their own country’s armed forces?” he questioned. “Which constitutional provision allows this?” he said, referring to the PTI’s ongoing demands for ease of access to Khan during his incarceration.
“Who is providing this narrative to them [India]?” he questioned, further asking why the Indian media was expending so much airtime to Imran Khan. “There is only one reason: because he is speaking against the armed forces,” he said, emphasizing that there is no “free lunch.” He dubbed this “collusion.”
Referring to Khan’s recent criticism of PTI supporters who attended a National Defense University workshop, dubbing them “traitors,” Lt. Gen. Chaudhry said this implied that Khan believed armed forces personnel were traitors. “What message is he sending the country? Who do you think you are?” he said, adding that the “psychological issues” of Khan were visible earlier as well—during the May 9, 2023 riots that saw PTI supporters attack military infrastructure following Khan’s arrest.
“Please note how impressed Khan is with a known traitor of Pakistan: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” he said, referring to the Bangladesh founder. He alleged Khan believes people are only “correct” if they support him. “Khan’s definition of politics is that if he’s in power, its democracy; if he’s out of power, it’s a dictatorship,” he claimed.
Citing more examples, the DG ISPR recalled how Khan had called for stopping remittances to Pakistan so the country defaulted. “He then writes a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), asking it not to enter into any agreement with the country so that the state could default. He then resorts to civil disobedience, doesn’t pay electricity bills, so that anarchy is spread in the country,” he said, questioning who benefited from such a narrative. This agenda cannot come from a Pakistani, he said, alleging it can only come from someone living in Delhi. “Someone sitting there and guiding that—who wishes that this Army, which is your armor against kharjis and terrorists, sacrificing their lives—stops doing it. This agenda and narrative cannot come from elsewhere,” he claimed.
The military spokesman said Imran Khan’s social media was “obsessed” with the Army. “Look at the notification for the Chief of Defense Forces,” he said of the recent appointment of Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. “They [PTI media] spent hours on this, even declaring a vice Army chief,” he said. “This same person has also repeatedly called for dialogue with the kharji,” he said, referring to the calls for dialogue with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) often forwarded by Imran Khan and the PTI. “Security is only guaranteed by standing tall against the evil aggressor,” he said, adding “begging” and appeasement” do not grant you security.
“This is a mental disorder—this is a terror-crime nexus. It involves drugs, non-custom paid vehicles, kidnapping for ransom and several other things,” he alleged, cautioning that anyone who stands against the political terror-crime nexus could face orchestrated attacks. The political reason for facilitating terrorists, he alleged, was to ensure any news emerging from KP focused solely on security. “They don’t want anyone to question what 12-13 years of their rule have accomplished for governance in the province,” he claimed.
“We want to tell you: this business of lies and deception will not sustain in Pakistan,” he warned. “This cannot be permitted,” he added.
State’s institution
To a question on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s criticism of the armed forces, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry reiterated the entire party had a “comical obsession” with the Army. “This is their whole politics,” he said, maintaining they are not concerned with facts versus fiction. He alleged that blaming the Army was an easy means to avoid accountability of governance failures in KP. “There is little reason to be scared of a barking dog,” he added.
The military spokesman emphasized that the armed forces are an arm of the state, adding this press conference was an attempt to forward their perspective to counter the Army-targeted narrative peddled by the political party. He urged the gathered press to question politicians on whether the disclosures shared merited any further restrictions on the PTI, including a potential ban. “The government is supreme,” he said. “We [Army] are but one institution of the state,” he said. He further said it was up to the government to decide whether it wished to impose Governor’s rule in KP.
“What law justifies meetings solely aimed at propagating anti-state narratives?” he questioned, referring to the message conveyed by Khan’s sister Uzma Khan following a meeting with her brother this week.
To another question on the PTI maintaining its criticism targets a single individual and not the institution, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry said the Army comprises of individuals, a merit-based order based on a hierarchy. “Our Chief of Army Staff, our commanders … soldiers lay down their lives on their orders,” he said, recalling that the architect of the May conflict with India was the field marshal. “Who are you to say this,” he said, again referring to Khan. “Bring back your children, enlist them in the Army, and have them fight for this country,” he added.
During the interactive session, the spokesperson once again recalled the National Action Plan (NAP). He noted the Army had slain, on average, six terrorists daily thus far this year. “Kinetic operations are ongoing,” he said, lamenting that the civilian arm of NAP was lagging, particularly from the provincial government. “Who is going to stop the illegal spectrum?” Praising the KP police, he questioned if the provincial government was taking steps to strengthen it and build resilience. “This requires political will … it is not happening,” he added.
Lt. Gen. Chaudhry also clarified the armed forces had never explicitly declared any other politician a “national security threat” though a similar perception had been created in the past. “No other politician has done the same thing,” he said. “We have never done this before and we will never do it again,” he added.
To a question on the impact of this press conference if the government takes no action, the spokesman said the armed forces were merely sharing their perspective. He also clarified that Islamabad is engaging with Kabul, but will not talk with non-state actors such as the TTP.