Army chief was offered an indefinite extension in March, reveals DG ISI in unprecedented media talk

In a remarkable development, the chief commanders of the nation’s head knowledge administration and the tactical’s media wing on Thursday tended to the media and scrutinized the occasions paving the way to senior columnist Arshad Sharif’s homicide in Kenya and the story that continued the “sad episode”.

Chief General Between Administrations Advertising (DG ISPR) Significant General Babar Iftikhar, toward the beginning of the media talk, said the motivation behind the occasion was to reveal insight into the occasions encompassing Arshad’s homicide. The tactical representative said the reason for the question and answer session was to guarantee “realities, fiction and assessment can be separated” and added that State leader Shehbaz Sharif was likewise educated with respect to the delicate idea of the media talk.

Lamenting that the military boss was likewise focused on and confronted analysis, Lt Gen Babar said “an endeavor was made to make a separation in the general public.”

Naming the writer’s passing in Kenya as an “sad occurrence”, he said Arshad’s family had served in the military and he was an “symbol of reporting in Pakistan”.

Expounding on occasions going before the writer’s demise, DG ISPR said the common legislature of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (CP) had given a danger letter, on the orders of the common leader, on August 5 which guaranteed that the aggressor Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) splinter bunch was wanting to focus on the columnist. He added that no data was imparted to the organizations “who gave them the data”.

“There were reports that he [Arshad] would have rather not left the nation however was continually reminded that his life was at serious risk.”

Alluding to the political code which PTI guaranteed was important for the ‘shift in power’ against the then-legislature of Imran Khan, Gen Babar said Arshad was an analytical writer and he directed a few shows when on the conciliatory correspondence when PTI boss Imran Khan asserted it as proof of an unfamiliar trick.

He added that few gatherings were held among Imran and Arshad. “Thus, it was expressed that he was shown gathering minutes and the code.”

Repeating that current realities behind the code and Arshad’s demise not entirely settled, he said the military boss had examined it with Imran on Walk 11 and the PTI boss had said it “was not something major”.

He said it was “astounding” for the military when a piece of paper was deferred on Walk 27 and “an endeavor was made to fabricate a story that was a long way from the real world”.

Naming the code “unjustifiable and unwarranted”, the tactical representative said the Public safety Panel found no confirmation with respect to an intrigue against the PTI government and neither did the ISI.

“This is all important for the record.”

Gen Babar said Arshad and different writers were subsequently taken care of a specific story and “an endeavor was made to criticize Pakistan and the country’s establishments across the world”.

He further said that “during the media preliminary, ARY News assumed the part of a twist specialist in targetting the military and advancing a misleading story” and the NSC meeting was introduced in some unacceptable setting.

Adding that the military was supposed to mediate in homegrown governmental issues, he gave the signal “unbiased and unopinionated was transformed into misuse”. “The military boss and the organization showed restriction and we attempted our level best that lawmakers sit together to determine their issues.”

The tactical representative, alluding to the remarks made by the killed columnist before against the foundation, explained that the military “had no pessimistic opinions about him [Arshad] and there are no such sentiments now”.

Uncovering more subtleties, he said that PTI pioneer Shahbaz Gill, on August 8, gave an assertion on ARY News on the nation’s organizations, for which he was denounced and captured. Adding further, the tactical representative said the channel’s senior staff member Ammad Yousaf was additionally captured and during the examination, it was uncovered that the President of the news channel had requested that Ammad send Arshad to another country.

A ticket for Arshad was reserved for Dubai by a representative of ARY Gathering. “On August 10, he [Arshad] left Peshawar air terminal through PK-637 for Dubai.”

DG ISPR added that the writer was given “finished convention” by KP government and Arshad stayed in the UAE “until he held a legitimate visa”.