RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: The Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Saturday ruled out the technocrat government and any martial law in the Country, saying it was prerequisite for Country’s prosperity that all institutions run smoothly.
“Democracy has no threat from Pakistan army,” the DG ISPR said in a press conference in Rawalpindi.
The director general ISPR said democracy would only be endangered if democratic requirements were not met and if people’s rights got tarnished.
Major General Asif Ghafoor said there was civilian supremacy in the Country, and assured that no initiative would ever be taken which defied the Constitution and the law of the land.
On Thursday, the DG ISPR had said in an interview with a private news channel that “If Pakistan’s economy is not bad, it’s not good either”. Later, the Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal resented DG ISPR’s statement and asked him to avoid making any statement on national economy.
The interior minister also said that the DG ISPR had made an irresponsible statement, and such statements were given by the enemies of Pakistan.
While commenting on Ahsan Iqbal’s remark, the DG ISPR said he was disappointed over the statement by the interior minister.
“I am disappointed over the statement of honorable Interior Minister as a soldier and a citizen of Pakistan,” Major General Asif Ghafoor said.
The director general ISPR said he had never said that Pakistan’s economy was unstable; rather he had just stressed the need for strengthening the economy as a strong economy was inevitable for strong defence.
The DG ISPR further said he and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa in their addresses at a seminar held in Karachi on Wednesday just tried to identify the problems and challenges to Pakistan’s economy.
“Let’s try to take it positive,” he said.
“I stand by my word,” Asif Ghafoor also categorially said, adding whatever he said wasn’t his personal views.
Earlier in the beginning, the director general ISPR briefed the media representatives about the recovery of the Canadian family, and also played a recorded statement of freed Joshua Boyle who along with wife and three children were recovered by Pakistan army on Friday after remaining in the captivity of Taliban for five years.
The director general ISPR said they were happy that the United States displayed trust in them, and hoped to continue the bilateral cooperation.
“We have made it clear before as well that we will do anything that is in our interest and in the interest of the region,” he said.
The DG ISPR also categorially said there would never be a joint operation on Pakistani soil with any other Country.
