In a recent press briefing in Islamabad, Omar Ayub Khan, Secretary General of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, expressed strong criticism of the current government. During the briefing, he particularly focused on the economic challenges and alleged misuse of power. Ayub emphasized that the recent press briefing by the Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) was an indictment of the federal government.
Addressing severe economic problems, Ayub asserted that the press briefing by DG ISPR clearly highlighted the political government’s failure. He also raised concerns about the alleged unfair targeting of PTI members by intelligence agencies and compared the economic performance under PTI’s leadership with that of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.
Ayub also criticized the current government’s management of agriculture and smuggling, pointing out specific instances of mismanagement in Punjab and concerns about smuggling at the borders of Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Additionally, he questioned the overstepping of the role by the DG ISPR and raised issues of corruption and drug trafficking.
Further, Ayub highlighted PTI’s efforts against terrorism and called for accountability and transparency from all state institutions, emphasizing the need to adhere to Article 7 of the constitution.
Omar Ayub emphasized the importance of holding all institutions, including the military, accountable under Article 7, and urged for greater transparency and adherence to constitutional regulations.
DG ISPR Press Conference
In response to questions about the potential displacement caused by the operation, Lt Gen Sharif stated that significant issues were being overshadowed by politics, using Azm-i-Istehkam as an example. He emphasized that this campaign was a comprehensive counter-terrorism effort supported by national consensus, not merely a military operation.
He explained that the operation’s goal was to revitalize the National Action Plan (NAP) and dismissed claims that it would displace people as part of a narrative crafted by a political mafia to undermine the campaign. This mafia’s first tactic was to make the operation controversial through false arguments. Lt Gen Sharif suggested that a powerful lobby, driven by financial interests rather than ideology, was working to ensure the NAP’s failure.
Lt Gen Sharif asserted that proper implementation of Operation Azm-i-Istehkam would eradicate terrorism and contribute to societal and national progress. Addressing an alleged audio leak of TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, he questioned the kind of Islam preached by militants who target schools, hospitals, and homes, and stressed that these actions only reinforced the need for the operation to ensure national stability and security.
The federal government had approved the operation to address a surge in terrorist attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ending its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
Earlier in the month, senior military officials expressed concern over what they described as “unwarranted criticism” and “deliberate misrepresentation” of Azm-i-Istehkam, accusing some quarters of advancing their own interests by mischaracterizing the campaign.
Regarding the recent violence during a peace rally in Bannu, Lt Gen Sharif clarified that locals had organized the march following an attack that killed eight soldiers. The protesters had agreed not to chant anti-state slogans. However, during the march, some elements joined in and started chanting against the army and pelting stones near the attack site. A video shown by the DG ISPR depicted armed protesters attacking a cantonment wall and looting a supply depot, leading to injuries from gunfire.
Lt Gen Sharif explained that the army’s response followed standard operating procedures (SOPs), with clear warnings and aerial firing before any further action. He stated that the chaos stemmed from a legal and judicial system that gave leeway to perpetrators, failing to bring them to justice. He also emphasized that maintaining law and order was the provincial government’s responsibility, not the military’s.
He supported the right to protest, noting that people had the right to express anger over terrorist incidents. Addressing the recent Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) sit-in in Islamabad, he linked the issue to the ongoing conflict in Palestine, reiterating Pakistan’s stance against the genocide there and mentioning the aid sent to Palestine.
The DG ISPR criticized the spread of fake news and propaganda, questioning the need to blame the military for every protest. He condemned “digital terrorism,” where individuals use technology and falsehoods to impose their will on society, and lamented the lack of action against those spreading propaganda against state leadership. He argued that such individuals were given space and made heroes in the name of freedom of expression, despite their actions against national institutions.
