ISLAMABAD: DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has said that attempts are repeatedly made to drag Pakistan’s armed forces into political disputes, although the army’s commitment is only to the Constitution and the state of Pakistan, and not to any individual or political party.

In an exclusive interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation, he said that the Pakistani army has always followed the constitutional instructions of every government and has played every possible role in internal security, natural disasters and public service. He said, “When the battle of truth came, did the army do its job or not?”

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif said that some political forces target the army to hide their weaknesses and baseless rumors are spread that the army is interfering in politics. According to him, the professional engagements and role of the army are in front of the entire nation, in which there is no room for doubt.

The DG ISPR said that the army is deployed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan at the request of the provincial governments for internal security. Be it protecting polio teams or relief operations in natural disasters, the army has fulfilled its responsibility at every stage.

He said, “Those who say that the army is divided or cut off from the people are trying to cover up their incompetence.” “We are united like a rock and are always ready to serve every citizen of Pakistan,” he said.