The May 9, 2023 riots occurred under a “coordinated conspiracy” and the masterminds of the event must be held accountable to serve as deterrence, the military’s spokesman said on Friday.
Addressing a press conference at General Headquarters, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the events of November were a “continuation” of the May 9 situation. He was referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Nov. 26 protest. “On Dec. 1, the Ministry of Interior issued a detailed statement [on this],” he added.
Further explaining the military’s role during the Nov. 26 protest, he said the Army was not deployed to control the violent mobs. The military was restricted to the Red Zone, he said, adding the only armed individuals were the “political leadership’s armed guards” and members of the crowd.
Maintaining the presence of weapons among the protesters was visible in video footage, he lamented that fake news was used to divert attention from the unrest caused by the protesters. Reiterating that the Army does not take sides with any particular political party or ideology, he said all political parties and leaders are respectable for the military.
Describing the events of Nov. 26 as a form of “political terrorism,” he regretted that certain elements had spread a false narrative about the “martyrdom of thousands of workers” during the unrest. “They are confident that they can sell any lie,” he said, maintaining part of the billions of rupees of illegal spectrums in Pakistan were used to fuel fake news. He stressed that no political leader’s desire for power should surpass the well-being of Pakistan.
On recent moves to initiate dialogue between the PTI and government, the spokesman welcomed negotiations as a means to resolve issues. “It is encouraging that politicians sit together and solve their problems through conversation,” he said.
Military courts
To a question, Lt. Gen. Chaudhry made clear the events of May 9, 2023, were not just an issue for the Army, but a cause of concern for the entire nation. “The case of May 9 is not the case of the Pakistan Army, it is the case of the people of Pakistan,” he said, stressing military courts had been a part of Pakistan’s judicial system for decades, in line with the Constitution and law. He also pointed out that these courts had received validation from the International Court of Justice.
Maintaining that the legal process of the military courts was thorough, he said it allowed for multiple levels of appeals. “The accused can appeal the sentence in the Court of Appeal, [before] the Army Chief, the High Court, and the Supreme Court,” he said, warning that anyone involved in similar incidents in the future would face the same consequences.
“In military courts, the accused have the right to bring witnesses and evidence,” he said, recalling that the people criticizing military courts right now had previously supported them. He said the same people criticizing the military court rulings in cases linked to the May 9 riots had earlier claimed it was a “false flag” operation of the Army. “So now they should be happy that our own people are being punished,” he said.
On the West’s criticism of military courts, he said Western countries did not allow platforms to political extremists. “Young people have been manipulated through toxic propaganda to stand against institutions and the state,” he said and urged parents to recognize how their children were being exploited. “Some people poison the minds of the youth for their own political purposes,” he added.
War on terror
Earlier, the ISPR DG summarized the Army’s achievements in its fight with militants. He said that over 59,779 intelligence-based operations were conducted in 2024, killing 925 terrorists and arresting dozens of others. This was the biggest number of terrorists killed in a single year during the past 5 years, he said, stressing law enforcement agencies were conducting over 169 operations daily to counter the scourge of terrorism.
He said various operations had netted a significant quantity of weapons from terrorist hideouts, demonstrating the scale of the threat and the success of counter-terrorism efforts. The operations also neutralized several high-profile terrorists, while eliminating 73 most-wanted terrorists.
Over the past year, he said, 383 officers and soldiers had embraced martyrdom in the ongoing fight against terrorism. “Is there no value for the blood of the soldiers who laid down their lives fighting the menace of insurgency?” he questioned, stressing that everyone must realize that soldiers were paying the price for the public’s safety with their blood. “Sixteen FC soldiers were martyred just six days ago. Does their blood hold no value?” he said.
Terrorism and Afghanistan
On Pakistan’s ties with Afghanistan, the military spokesman said Islamabad has consistently worked to establish peace in the neighboring state. However, he said, terrorist activities originating from Afghan soil continued to pose a threat to Pakistan. Noting roots of terrorism are often traced back to Afghanistan, he said Pakistan was determined to dismantle terrorist networks without compromise.
Over the past year, he said, significant progress was made in curbing smuggling, marking an achievement in enhancing border security and economic stability. He also noted the ongoing repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals, emphasizing more than 800,000 people had returned already. “We want Afghanistan to ensure that insurgents are not given precedence over Pakistan,” he said. “Dialogue is also being conducted with Afghanistan through our allied countries,” he said.
“The entire nation must stand together with institutions to fight this scourge. A secure Pakistan is a strong Pakistan,” he said, stressing the root causes of terrorism must be addressed.
“Terrorism will only be eradicated when we ensure justice, education, healthcare, and good governance,” he said. “It will also require dismantling the nexus between terrorism and organized crime,” he added.
India and Kashmir
The military spokesman said the Pakistan Army was ready to counter any aggression from India. “We are fully aware of the dangers posed by India along our eastern front,” he said, noting Indian forces had violated the ceasefire agreement 25 times this year. He also criticized India’s “brutal tactics” in suppressing movements for independence and the ongoing oppression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“India has turned occupied Kashmir into a hotbed of violence, and its blatant violations of international laws are evident to the world,” he said, expressing solidarity with Kashmiris. “We stand firmly with the people of occupied Kashmir and will continue to provide them with legal, diplomatic, and moral support,” he said.
“India’s systematic genocide of minorities and involvement in killing Sikhs internationally exposes its agenda,” he said, claiming such actions are part of a larger conspiracy. He also called attention to India’s diversionary tactics, including false flag operations, aimed at deflecting attention from its internal issues.
“Our civil and military leadership is fully aware of India’s strategies to shift focus from its own problems,” he said.