In rare public appearance, head of Pakistan’s ISI slams ex-PM Khan for anti-army campaign

Short Url
Updated 28 October 2022
Follow

In rare public appearance, head of Pakistan’s ISI slams ex-PM Khan for anti-army campaign

  • If the army chief is a traitor, why do you still meet him behind closed doors, Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum asks Imran Khan
  • Army spokesperson says slain journalist Arshad Sharif left Pakistan on instructions of CEO of TV channel he worked for

ISLAMABAD: The head of Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), on Thursday slammed former Prime Minister Imran Khan over his criticism of the military, appearing in a rare press conference to question the ex-premier’s motives behind anti-army remarks and portraying Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa as a “traitor” among his followers.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that the head of the ISI has addressed a media briefing. Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum was approved as ISI chief in October last year and has since never made any public appearances or comments.

The DG ISI is one of the most important and powerful posts in Pakistan, at the intersection of domestic politics, the war on militancy and Pakistan’s foreign relations.

In remarks to journalists, Anjum, who was dressed in civilian clothing, said he was aware that the media was “surprised by my presence,” but he could not remain silent while the military was being “targeted for no reason.”

The general was referring to criticism by Khan, his party and its supporters of the military’s role in politics.

Khan was ousted from the office of prime minister in April in a vote of no-confidence. Him and his supporters have since variously expressed disappointment that the military and its army chief did not support him against the ouster and instead helped bring the coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to power.

The Pakistani military, which has a long history of intervening in national politics, had said before Khan’s removal, and since, that it would remain apolitical. The ex-PM and his followers have widely criticized this policy and on social media, where Khan has a massive following, hashtags calling the army chief a traitor and asking him to resign are a daily occurrence.

“If you [Khan] are convinced that the head of your army is a traitor, then why did you praise him so much just in the recent past?” Anjum said at the presser. “If he was really a traitor in your point of view, then why do you still meet him behind closed doors?”

“Don’t do this, that you meet us in the dark of night behind closed doors to express your constitutional and unconstitutional wishes and then in the light of day call the same person a traitor.”

The DG ISI said the army chief had received an offer in March for an “indefinite extension” in service. Khan was still in government then.

“Let me also inform you that in the month of March [2022], the army chief was offered an indefinite extension in his tenure, the offer was made in my presence,” he told reporters. “It was a very attractive offer but he [army chief] turned it down because he had made the decision to bring the institution out of its controversial era and into a constitutional role.”

“The offer was made because the no-confidence motion was at its peak,” the general added.

Talking about the decision to address the press conference, Anjum said he was there to “defend” the country’s institutions:

“I would often see that lies were being spread and the youth was accepting them ... Those sacrificing their lives [soldiers] should not have to face these lies. Hence, remaining silent was morally unacceptable for me now.”

The DG ISI said his agency had informed him about organized campaigns launched against him on social media in March.

“I told them to get in touch when the retweets exceed eight thousand million. Before that, I don’t care about myself.”

“ARSHAD SHARIF KILLING”

During the presser, military spokesperson, Lt General Babar Iftikhar, also addressed the issue of the killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya last Sunday, saying the anchorman left Pakistan on the instructions of the CEO of the TV channel he worked for and after a threat alert was issued by the provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is in power.

Arshad Sharif was killed Sunday night when the car he was in sped up and drove through a checkpoint outside the Kenyan capital and police opened fire. Nairobi police expressed regret over the incident, saying it was a case of “mistaken identity” during a search for a car involved in a child abduction case.

A hugely popular talk show host, Sharif was of late a harsh critic of the current ruling coalition and the army, and fled the country in August, citing threats to his life. He was also widely considered a staunch supporter of ex-PM Khan and his PTI party. At the time he left Pakistan, he was facing a slew of court cases related to charges of sedition and others. He left Pakistan for the United Arab Emirates and had recently traveled to Kenya from the Emirates.

Sharif’s death has unleashed outrage among the public and media and widespread calls for a transparent investigation.

“On August 5, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KP] government issued a threat alert regarding the ARY anchor Arshad Sharif,” Iftikhar told journalists. “According to our information, the alert was issued on the special instructions of the KP chief minister and said an Afghanistan-based TTP [Pakistan Taliban] group had held a meeting in Spin Boldak and decided to target Arshad Sharif in Rawalpindi or its adjoining areas.”

The PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not share the information with the federal government or any security agencies or specify how it obtained the information that Sharif was going to be targeted, the army spokesperson said:

“The threat alert was issued with specific planning to convince Arshad Sharif to leave the country.”

Showing screenshots of conversations between ARY director news Ammad Yousaf and the channel’s CEO Salman Iqbal, the military spokesman said Sharif’s ticket to Dubai was officially booked by ARY and he left Pakistan from Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with the facilitation of government officials there. The ticket was booked by an ARY official on August 9 from a travel agency in Karachi and the return date on the ticket was September 9. Sharif left for Dubai from Peshawar on August 10 via an Emirates flight, Iftikhar said.

“No state institution tried in any way to stop Arshad Sharif from leaving, if the government wanted to do so, it could have done it,” he said, adding that the journalist traveled onwards to Kenya after his UAE visa expired.

“No one at the state level forced Arshad Sharif to leave Dubai. So who were the people who forced him to leave from there? … Who told him not to return to Pakistan and that his life was safer in a country like Kenya?”

“The name of the CEO of ARY, Salman Iqbal, is coming up again and again,” the military spokesperson said. “He should be brought back to Pakistan and made part of the investigation.”

Iqbal has been based in the UAE and US since at least July this year when his channel got embroiled in a scandal related to sedition charges over remarks aired on ARY that the media regulator said were tantamount to inciting mutiny within the army.

“Kenyan police accepted their mistake and it has to be examined whether this [Sharif’s killing] is a case of mistaken identity or one of targeted killing. There are several questions that have to be answered,” the military spokesman said, calling for a “transparent and fair probe” and requesting the government to form a high-level inquiry commission.


Pakistani journalist Farhan Mallick arrested by Federal Investigation Agency— family 

Updated 20 March 2025
Follow

Pakistani journalist Farhan Mallick arrested by Federal Investigation Agency— family 

  • Mallick is the founder and chief executive officer of Pakistani online news media platform “Raftar“
  • FIA official says Mallick ran programs against Pakistan’s “security establishment,” says local media report

Islamabad: Pakistani journalist Farhan Mallick, the founder and chief executive officer of prominent online news media platform “Raftar,” was arrested by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials on Thursday without providing any justification, his son wrote on social media platform X. 

The former news director of Pakistani TV channel Samaa, Mallick heads Raftar which describes itself as a “dynamic platform dedicated to driving social change through the power of storytelling” on its social media platforms. Raftar, which has over 749,000 subscribers on YouTube, has released documentaries and videos critical of the Pakistani government and powerful military’s policies. 

A message posted from Mallick’s account on social media platform X by his son said FIA officials “barged” into his office on Wednesday night. The statement said the FIA officials verbally summoned him to their office on Thursday. 

“Like any law-abiding citizen, he went— only to be made to wait for hours without cause,” the statement said. “Then, at 6 PM, they arrested him. No explanation. No justification. Nothing.”

Pakistani English language newspaper Dawn quoted FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center Additional Director Shahzad Haider as saying that an inquiry was initiated against Mallick around three months ago.
According to Dawn, the official said Mallick had run “several programs against the security establishment,” adding the Raftar founder was arrested on Thursday after the inquiry against him was formally completed.
In a statement, Raftar confirmed Mallick had been arrested but said they were not informed why. The platform said it was deeply concerned about the “blatant intimidation of independent journalism” in Pakistan. 
“We demand immediate clarity on Mr. Mallick’s arrest and call for the protection of journalists and media professionals from unjust harassment,” it said. 
Successive governments in Pakistan have enacted different laws and introduced amendments in existing laws to enhance their control over social media content and discourage dissent by filing cases against journalists and activists for violating the laws. The government says it has enacted these laws to ensure data protection, privacy and to ensure people’s safety on social media. 
In recent years, journalists in Pakistan have complained of increasing government and military censorship, intimidation and harassment as well as digital abuse. Authorities deny they persecute journalists. Last year was a dangerous one for the press in Pakistan, with at least six journalists killed in direct or suspected relation to their work, the CPJ said in October 2024.
A recent report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked Pakistan as the 12th-worst country for press freedom in South Asia. According to the CPJ, 103 journalists and media workers have been killed in Pakistan between 1992 and 2024.


Pakistan and UK discuss security cooperation, adopting joint strategy against ‘terrorism’

Updated 20 March 2025
Follow

Pakistan and UK discuss security cooperation, adopting joint strategy against ‘terrorism’

  • Pakistan PM’s adviser Rana Sanaullah meets British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, says state media 
  • Both discuss reinforcing intelligence sharing and operational cooperation in counter terrorism efforts

ISLAMABAD: Rana Sanaullah, adviser to the prime minister on political affairs, met British High Commissioner Jane Marriott on Thursday to discuss enhancing security cooperation between the two countries and adopting a joint strategy against “terrorism,” state-run media reported.

Pakistan and the United Kingdom (UK) share a long-standing relationship built on strong diplomatic, economic and security ties. Over the years, the militaries of both countries have maintained robust cooperation, particularly in the fields of counterterrorism and professional training.

The meeting between the two officials took place amid Pakistan’s struggle to contain surging militancy, particularly in its southwestern Balochistan province, where separatist militants last week hijacked a train and held hundreds hostage before the army launched a rescue operation. The military said it killed all 33 militants while 31 Pakistani soldiers, staff and civilians were killed. 

“The discussion also focused on adopting a joint strategy against terrorism, increasing security cooperation, and taking collaborative measures to ensure regional peace and stability,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported about the meeting between Sanaullah and Marriott.

“Both dignitaries agreed on reinforcing intelligence sharing and operational cooperation in counter terrorism efforts.”

The APP said both also spoke about strengthening economic partnerships, enhancing trade relations and exploring new avenues of mutual cooperation between Pakistan and the UK.

“Additionally, cultural exchanges and the promotion of people-to-people ties were discussed to further strengthen relations between the two nations,” the statement said. 

Pakistan and the UK have a long and multifaceted relationship, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora community. Pakistan is also a member of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 countries out of which the vast majority are former British territories.


Former Pakistan coach Bradburn fined after discriminatory conduct during Glamorgan stint 

Updated 20 March 2025
Follow

Former Pakistan coach Bradburn fined after discriminatory conduct during Glamorgan stint 

  • Bradburn was sacked by Glamorgan in December following internal investigation into his behavior
  • Bradburn allegedly asked players from Asian background what their “real age” was, implying they lied

LONDON: Former Glamorgan coach Grant Bradburn has been fined and warned about his future conduct after admitting to discriminatory conduct during his spell with the Welsh county cricket side.
Bradburn was sacked by Glamorgan in December following an internal investigation into the New Zealander’s behavior.
A Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) found the former Scotland and Pakistan coach twice made comments with “racist connotations” and also made a remark with “sexist connotations.”
The 58-year-old has been ordered to attend an educational course and fined £500 ($648), in addition to the reprimand.
In its written reasons for the sanction, the CDC said it was alleged Bradburn asked players from an Asian background what their “real age” was, implying they do not tell the truth about their age.
It was also alleged he said during a pre-season team meeting that when making cricket selection decisions in Pakistan, players would pick their friends or cousins or pick names out of a hat.
Bradburn allegedly used the phrase “this isn’t Western Storm” (a former women’s team) during a fielding practice session when he considered that male players were demonstrating a lack of intensity, “throwing like girls.”
Bradburn, a former New Zealand off-spinner, coached Scotland from 2014 to 2018.
He worked as Pakistan’s fielding coach, subsequently taking over as head coach in 2023 — a role he left after less than a year, prior to joining Glamorgan in January 2024.


At least 1,141 Pakistanis killed and injured due to ‘terrorism’ from Jan. 1 to Mar.16— minister 

Updated 20 March 2025
Follow

At least 1,141 Pakistanis killed and injured due to ‘terrorism’ from Jan. 1 to Mar.16— minister 

  • Tallal Chaudry says three law enforcement personnel, two civilians are killed daily across Pakistan due to “terrorism”
  • Minister of state for interior urges opposition to support government in its war against surging militancy in country 

ISLAMABAD: At least 1,141 Pakistanis have been killed and injured from Jan. 1 to Mar. 16 in “terrorism” incidents, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudry said on Thursday, urging provinces to support the central government in its battle against militants. 

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan and Iran in recent days, especially Balochistan, where separatist militants last Tuesday stormed a train and held hundreds of passengers hostage before the army launched a rescue operation. The army killed all 33 militants while a final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.

Days later on Sunday, five people including three paramilitary soldiers were killed in a blast in Balochistan’s Nushki district. A top parliamentary panel met on Tuesday to discuss the prevalent security situation in the country, calling for national consensus and political unity to battle militancy. 

“From the previous [month], Jan. 1 to Mar. 16, the figures say that 1,141 casualties of terrorism have taken place. This includes both the martyred and the injured,” Chaudry said during a news conference. “Out of this, 1,127 alone are from KP and Balochistan.”

He said on a daily basis, three law enforcement agencies’ personnel are killed and seven are injured while two civilians are killed and four injured across Pakistan. 

The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is in power in KP province, boycotted the parliamentary panel on national security’s meeting this week and said it would not support any fresh military operation in the country. 

Chaudry criticized the PTI, saying that it would not be possible to eliminate “terrorism” from the country if both KP and Balochistan provinces did not join the state in battling militants. The minister blamed the PTI for creating controversies to undermine Pakistan’s war against militancy. 

“We are not starting a new operation neither has there been talk of a new operation,” Chaudry clarified. “But whether it is Azm-e-Istehkam or the National Action Plan, they will be implemented, and it will be ensured that they are implemented,” he said, referring to Pakistan’s previous initiatives against militancy. 

Pakistan ranks as the second-most affected country by terrorism, according to The Global Terrorism Index 2025. Militancy-related deaths surged by 45 percent, rising from 748 in 2023 to 1,081 in 2024, marking one of the steepest global increases.

Pakistan’s security forces are battling the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or Pakistani Taliban militants in KP province. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering TTP militants, an allegation the Afghan Taliban deny strongly.

In Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land but its poorest by almost all social and economic indicators, separatist militants have been fighting security forces for decades for a greater share in the natural resources of the province. Pakistan’s federal government and military point to various education and health initiatives undertaken in Balochistan, reiterating their resolve to bring about progress in the province. 


Pakistan to hold Mar. 23 military parade on ‘limited scale’ due to Ramadan

Updated 20 March 2025
Follow

Pakistan to hold Mar. 23 military parade on ‘limited scale’ due to Ramadan

  • Parade will mark 85th anniversary of Pakistan’s republic day celebrated each year on Mar. 23 to celebrate adoption of Lahore Resolution
  • Pakistan honors foreign dignitaries, national heroes with top civilian awards, features tanks, missiles, UAVs, and air defense systems at parade

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Day military parade will be held this year on Mar. 23 on a “limited scale” due to the holy month of Ramadan, state-run media reported on Thursday, with contingents of the country’s three armed forces set to participate in the spectacle. 
The parade will be held on the 85th anniversary of Pakistan’s republic day, marked each year to celebrate the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the Muslim League party, which called for the creation of an independent state for the Muslims of India on Mar. 23, 1940.
While last year the event was held at the Parade Avenue in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, this year it is scheduled to take place within the premises of the Aiwan-e-Sadr or the official residence of Pakistan’s president. President Asif Ali Zardari will be the chief guest on the occasion, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. 
“Pakistan Day Parade will be held on Sunday on a limited scale with traditional enthusiasm,” it said. “The decision to hold the parade on a limited scale was made due to the month of Ramadan,” Radio Pakistan said. 
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets will also conduct a fly past, a ceremonial or honorific flight by an aircraft or group of aircraft, during the occasion. 
“Foreign ambassadors and other distinguished guests have also been invited to the event,” the state media reported. 
Pakistan honors foreign dignitaries and national heroes on the occasion with top civilian awards. The parade also features mechanized columns including tanks, armored personnel carriers, rocket launchers, air defense system, guns, UAVs, short-and-long-range Pakistani missiles such as Ra’ad, Nasr, Babur, Shaheen, Ghauri and Ababeel every year. 
This year the military parade takes place as Pakistan grapples with surging militancy, especially in its southwestern Balochistan province bordering Iran and Afghanistan. Separatist militants last Tuesday bombed a section of the railway track and stormed the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express train carrying over 400 passengers in the mountainous Bolan region. 
The crisis was resolved the following day when the armed forces carried out a successful operation to rescue the hostages, killing all 33 militants in the process. A final count showed 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers had died in the attack.
Violence persisted in the region days later as a blast killed five, including three paramilitary soldiers, in the province’s Nushki district on Sunday. 
Both attacks were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an ethnic separatist militant outfit in the province. The BLA is the largest and strongest of several ethnic Baloch insurgent groups which have been fighting for decades to win a larger share of the natural resources of mineral-rich Balochistan, which is also home to major China-led projects including a port and gold and copper mines.