Pakistan facing ‘difficult time’ made ISI chief hold rare presser

Islamabad : After the October 27 news conference of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, who rarely makes public appearances, Pakistan is lost in wonder about what made him come out in public and brief the media.

On why General Nadeem Anjum had to come and speak himself, military sources said: “a state of war is an environment that threatens the survival of the state. When the state is in a state of war, the people and the army tackle it together. Be it a soldier or the most senior officer, everyone enters the field,” The News reported.

“Today, the question being asked is as to why the ISI chief had to come before the media himself. The answer is hidden in the question itself. An officer who had kept himself even from publishing his pictures was forced to take such a big step just because the country is in a difficult time.

“Attempts are being made to discredit the Pakistan Army on the killing of Arshad Sharif by creating propaganda against it; to turn the FATF success (in exiting from its grey list) into failure; to make nuclear assets unsafe; to present the country as a failed and terrorist country,” the sources added.

“Calling their own army names and embarrassing them, aspersions are being cast on those who have been putting up with it all patiently for the last eight months. Linking false and fake statements to top officials, people are being misled.

“The army was asked why they were silent; whether they were scared or they were also part of this narrative behind the scenes. All these things had to be answered. But before that, every effort was made to quietly stop Imran Khan from trying to spread anarchy, and ensure peace. But when the matter crossed the limit, this step had to be taken for the sake of the people, for the sake of the country,” The News quoted the sources as saying.

Theey added that according to their own people “there will be bloodshed, people will die, bodies will fall” in the PTI’s Long March.

“If God forbid, it so happened the responsibility will be put on the army and they will start defaming it. This is the real conspiracy. Because Imran Khan does not want power. He knows that it will be impossible for him to run the country after what he has done to it, especially when he won’t have the army’s help and the institutions are angry with him,” the sources said.

Senior officers left their offices behind and came forward to tell the truth to the nation so that it realized the seriousness and sensitivity of the matter.

“We are soldiers and will continue to fight against every enemy on every front. On the other hand, since Imran Khan was making false statements by taking the names of top officials, it was necessary to give a direct reply,” they sources said.