Pak Army has no role in accountability process, general elections were transparent, No issue with PTM, Military has own accountability mechanism, says DG ISPR

LONDON/ ISLAMABAD (ENN) The Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor has said that Pakistan Army has no role in the process of accountability and drive against corruption.

“We have our hands full on the eastern and western border; the army is having to maintain the security of the country. Army has its own stringent mechanism of accountability and it’s the most robust and toughest” he said.

He emphasised that Army believes only democracy is the way forward and as an institution, Pakistan Army has provided full support to democratic institutions.

“We will work to make sure that democracy continues in Pakistan,” said Major General Ghafoor, who is accompanying Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa on his visit to the United Kingdom. “Whenever the army chief talks to any foreign dignitary, we talk about Pakistan and not about the army,” he added.

The military spokesman stated that due to the war against terrorism, systems in Pakistan had eroded. “We need to correct those systems and in the last five years those systems have started working well.”

Major General Ghafoor spoke of incidents of terrorism diminishing the country and the crime rate decreasing in Karachi. “There used to be 2-3 blasts a day, but it has been peaceful. Karachi has come down in the crime index. Our bureaucracy and others have worked together.”

The DG ISPR stressed that when systems are strong the country will prosper. “Every institution has to work within a policy parameter. Today’s Pakistan is much better than before.”

Major General Ghafoor lamented that it was unfortunate that the army had been dragged in some matters. “Pakistan Army is an organised institution. We have to strengthen all institutions including the police and bureaucracy.”

According to Major General Ghafoor, police and judicial reforms were important and it was the government’s responsibility to bring reforms and legislation.

Major General Ghafoor said the PML-N government had listened to each and every demand of the Pakistan Army and provided funds for the fence on the porous border.

“The PML-N government approved the operation against militancy and fully cooperated. We cannot allow a porous border. The barricade is not meant to be a divide between the two countries.”

The DG ISPR said the 2018 general election was the most transparent and free, with the Pakistan Army ensuring that people voted according to their will on polling day. “There has been a record turnout in various parts of the country. Voters made their own choice and were not told who to vote for or not.”

The military spokesman stressed that allegations of rigging had been made, but there was no evidence brought forward.

The DG ISPR said that Pakistan has no issue with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) but there are concerns about the way it’s operating and the message it is trying to portray to mislead Pakistanis.

He said that the PTM leader was a Pakistani who studied at an army school and at no point the army has said anything against him.