ISLAMABAD: The country’s military and civil authorities on Sunday took stern notice of attempts to “drag the army” into the political quagmire, passing “defamatory” remarks against the institution and its leadership and “spreading chaos” in the country through political statements, comments and social media trends.

Both the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued separate statements, urging resident and overseas Pakistanis to refrain from such practices.

The army has taken a “strong exception” to “intensified and deliberate attempts” to drag its name into the country’s ongoing discourse by “some political leaders, journalists and analysts”, according to a press release issued by the ISPR.

The military’s media wing noted that attempts to involve the armed forces and its senior leadership in the political discourse were “manifest through direct, insinuated or nuanced references made by some political leaders, a few journalists and analysts on public forums and various communication platforms, including social media”.

FIA opens inquiry against anchor Sami Ibrahim for ‘anti-state’ videos

“This practice of unsubstantiated, defamatory and provocative statements and remarks is extremely damaging,” it said.

It added that the military took exception to such “unlawful and unethical practices” and expected everyone to abide by the law and keep the armed forces out of political discourse in the “best interest of the country”.

The ISPR statement did not specify which incident or incidents it was referring to.

It has been learnt that the military authorities took serious note to the statements by political leaders of almost all mainstream parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and even small parties like the Awami Muslim League (AML).

Former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan often refers former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Faiz Hamid in his speeches in public meetings.

Mr Khan even revealed last week that he did not want Lt Gen Hamid, who is Peshawar’s corps commander at present, to be changed and wanted him to stay in office until the winter of 2021, because he apprehended a worsening of the situation in Afghanistan as well as opposition intrigue to topple his government.

Similarly, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, while addressing a rally in Fateh Jang, criticised the former intelligence chief.

Besides, AML President and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said in his recent speech at a public meeting asked the army “to hold elections in the country”, giving the impression that holding elections is a duty of the army but not the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Meanwhile, Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema has also recently sought the army’s intervention to lead the province out of the crises plaguing it for months despite the armed forces repeatedly refusing to be pushed into the country’s perpetual political quagmire.

On Thursday, the governor wrote a letter to Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, requesting him to play a defining role in the current chaotic times, as he believed that constitutional crisis-ridden Punjab had been held hostage.

Last month, senior retired army officials described audio clips attributed to them, in which statements were given against the army and its leadership, as “fake” and a “conspiracy against the Pakistan Army”.

The clarifications from the retired army officials had come two days after the country’s military leadership took notice of an ongoing “propaganda campaign” against the army on social media and endorsed the position taken by the army’s leadership on the political crisis in the country that climaxed with former premier Imran Khan’s ouster.

The military came under criticism last month, especially in the wake of Mr Khan’s ouster through a successful vote of no confidence. Trends against the armed forces and its leadership saw intense activity on social media platforms, especially Twitter.

According to a Dawn report, the ‘Imported Hukoomat Namanzur’ (imported government unacceptable) hashtag in Urdu alone generated a volume of 17 million tweets, while one anti-army hashtag generated over 69,000 tweets and a similar one over 410,000 tweets in the past few days.

FIA warning

Meanwhile, the FIA has advised all Pakistan-origin expatriates living outside the country to refrain from spreading “chaos” at home while staying abroad.

The agency has also launched a crackdown against those allegedly involved in running these online campaigns and was making arrests, an FIA spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.

The civil investigation agency has also initiated an inquiry against Bol TV’s anchor Sami Ibrahim for allegedly transmitting “anti-state” videos and statements on various social media platforms, including regarding the army.

The anchor reportedly said in a programme that the army chief had brought together all political parties in the ruling coalition and now he was answerable to their deeds.

The FIA claimed that Mr Ibrahim was involved in spreading fake news regarding state institutions. “He has made imputations which are glaring attempts to incite armed forces personnel to mutiny. He has attempted to create chaos in Pakistan through media while staying abroad,” the FIA spokesman said.

The statement said Mr Ibrahim had an opportunity to defend himself in inquiry, which would be closed if he defended himself.

“If the offence is made out, a case will be registered against him through an FIR and he will be arrested whenever possible and prosecuted in a court of law,” it added.

The FIA spokesman said since the anchor was abroad, a red notice would be issued against him through Interpol and his name would be placed on a no-fly list.

The agency further urged Pakistani expats that “their social media posts must not be offensive and seditious. They must read Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act 2016 to make sure that their social media posts do not constitute any offence. If they commit any offence, red notices through Interpol can be issued against them for their arrest. Their names can be put on the Exit Control List. They need to avoid the commission of any electronic offences. The advice is only for offenders. Law-abiding persons should not worry.”

The statement said any attempts by anyone staying anywhere in the world to create disturbance in Pakistan or defame the dignity of a natural person or act against the modesty of a natural person through fake news or fake videos were against the laws of Pakistan.

“Such attempts are punishable under Pakistani laws. Offenders will be prosecuted in Pakistan whenever possible. Hence anyone must avoid committing any such offences through media of any type,” it added.

The FIA spokesman also advised Pakistani citizens to avoid committing such offences.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2022