Army not involved in political crisis: DG ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa said Friday that the army was not involved in the political crisis in the country.

During a news briefing, Major General Bajwa said the army had expressed its support for democracy and the constitution. He emphasized that the like any other Pakistani they were concerned about different situations and gave their input under the constitution.

The DG ISPR said the army acted as facilitator when asked by the government to do so. “It is a political issue and should be resolved politically. We are hopeful it will be resolved politically.”




The DG ISPR expressed regret over rumours of the army being a script writer.

The DG ISPR also dispelled reports of differences within the army stating that it was united under the command of Army chief General Raheel Sharif.

Major General Bajwa informed the media that the army was tasked with providing security to five buildings in Islamabad and PTV was not included in the list. He added that when the army was summoned it was successful in evacuating the attackers from the PTV building.

“While we are only supposed to look after the physical security of the Parliament building, we also ensured the safe and secure evacuation of parliamentarians. This we did as protesters had encamped themselves in the parliament lawn.”

The army cannot be tasked with policing as it is not equipped with the weapons required to control protesters, DG ISPR said.

Major General Bajwa also provided updates on Operation Zarb-e-Azb telling the media that it was proceeding according to plan. “Besides operations in North Waziristan, intelligence based operations are being conducted in other parts of the country.”

He said that TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah was in Afghanistan and planning attacks from there.

According to the DG ISPR, the group which attacked Malala Yousafzai and her friends Kianat and Shazia in Swat have been arrested.




The DG ISPR revealed that the ten member terrorist group behind the attack on Malala Yousafzai was called Shura and affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

He added that these terrorists who belong to Malakand intended to target 22 other people. The terrorists will now be presented before an anti-terrorism court.

#ZarbeAzb : Entire Gang of 10 x terrorists involved in attempt to kill #Malala, in #Swat busted & apprehended by Security forces

— AsimBajwaISPR (@AsimBajwaISPR) September 12, 2014