Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will visit Quetta this week to console the members of the Hazara community over the massacre of Machh coalminers, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The announcement was made by Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Babar Iftikhar while addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Monday.
The Army will serve tea to the PDM marchers when they will arrive at the General Headquarters to stage a protest, said Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Major-General Iftikhar Babar.
Maj-Gen Iftikhar Babar was addressing a news conference in Rawalpindi when he was asked about PDM President and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s announcement that the Opposition alliance may stage a long march and protest in front of the GHQ in Rawalpindi.
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In response, the DG ISPR said “When they come we will see. The Army will serve him and those accompanying him tea.”
Political allegations
Regarding criticism of state institutions by the PDM leader, Maj-Gen Babar said these allegations were devoid of substance; therefore, they did not merit any answer.
The DG ISPR, however, was of the view that there was no justification for the PDM to march towards Rawalpindi. “There is no reason for marching towards Rawalpindi. Even If they come, we will serve them with tea. We will see when they come.”
“What else I can say,” he further said. “There is no substance in allegations against the Pakistan Army,” he added.
He also clarified that the Army has no backdoor contact with opposition.
He also said despite concerns on the allegations levelled against the Pakistan Army, the Pakistan’s Armed Forces morale is high and will continue its work.
“The Army must not be dragged into politics as there is no reason that the Pakistan army should be involved in politics,” the DG ISPR said.
COAS to visit Quetta this week
To a question, Babar Iftikhar said Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa will visit Quetta this week to meet the members of Hazara community and stressed that safer Balochistan is the future of Pakistan.
He said that numerous development projects had been launched both in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. “Around 699 projects have been initiated only in Balochistan,” he disclosed.
CPEC
Babar Iftikhar said India was targeting Balochistan due to the CPEC.
The DG ISPR said they had successfully exposed the Indian hand in acts of terror in Pakistan.
No organized terror network in Pakistan
Babar Iftikhar said said around 26,000 personnel of Pakistan Army had lost their lives in the war on terror. “The world acknowledges our role in war on terror,” he said, adding there was no organized terror network active in Pakistan and they had smashed them all.
“We carried out over 71,000 intelligence-based operations,” he explained.
LoC violations
The DG ISPR said Pakistan had always given a befitting reply to the ceasefire violations at Line of Control in Kashmir by the Indian occupation forces.
He further said the enemy wanted to destabilize Pakistan which reminded them the challenges Pakistan faced during the last 10 years.
Babar Iftikhar said India is indulged in baseless propaganda against Pakistan.
Praise for media role
The DG ISPR praised the role of the media in combating the coronavirus and locust.