The ISPR issued a statement condemning unnamed ‘senior political leadership’ who it said has been passing ‘objectionable’ remarks against the Peshawar Corps Commander Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, saying only the most competent and professional officers are appointed to the position.
In a statement issued today (Thursday), the ISPR stated that the Peshawar Corps have been at the leading lines of the nation’s war against terror, and therefore, only the most competent and professional officers are appointed to lead the formation.
“Imprudent comments made by important senior politicians recently about Corps Commander Peshawar are very inappropriate,” the statement said, adding that such statements “undermine the honor and morale” of institution and its leadership.
The statement continued to say that it is expected that the senior political leadership of the country refrains from passing objectionable remarks against the institution whose brave officers and men are constantly putting their lives on the line to guard the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan.
During a media talk on the heels of the press release, the ISPR Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar said that the army as an institution has nothing to do with politics, and therefore, political parties shouldn’t drag them into politics either.
He said that the many statements being given by senior political leadership about the military were “highly inappropriate” and that the army was showing a lot of tolerance and restraint.
Although no names of politicians were mentioned in the ISPR statement or Gen Babar Iftikhar’s press talk, the timing of these statements comes after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz made remarks about Gen Faiz.
Speaking to a press conference outside Islamabad High Court today (Thursday), Maryam had been asked by a reporter to comment on Khawaja Asif’s statement about fairly considering Gen Faiz Hameed if his name was in the list of potential new army chiefs.
Maryam responded by saying that the army chief should be someone with a spotless reputation, referencing to her criticism of Faiz Hameed during her rally in Fateh Jang, where she had alleged that he had been the hands of Khan’s government, not the eyes and ears, that were used to strangle opponents.
Meanwhile Zardari had commented during a press conference on Wednesday that Gen Faiz Hameed was helpless and had been completely sidelined.
