ISPR says Imran Khan’s allegations ‘baseless and irresponsible’, demands legal action

The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has rejected the allegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan against the institution and a senior army officer and demanded the government to initiate legal action.

Yesterday, Imran Khan conducted a press conference from Shaukat Khanum Hospital Lahore and directly blamed the prime minister, interior minister and a senior army officer for trying to assassinate him

The ISPR said in a statement, “The baseless and irresponsible allegations by chairman PTI against the institution and particularly a senior army officer are absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for,”

“The Pakistan army prides itself for being an extremely professional and well-disciplined organisation with a robust and highly effective internal accountability system applicable across the board for unlawful acts, if any, committed by uniformed personnel,” it read.

“However, if the honour, safety and prestige of its rank and file is being tarnished by vested interests through frivolous allegations, the institution will jealousy (sic) safeguard its officers and soldiers no matter what.

“The baseless allegations hurled at the institution/officials today are highly regrettable and strongly condemned. No one will be allowed to defame the institution or its soldiers with impunity,” the ISPR statement added.

The military’s media wing demanded the federal government to investigate the matter and initiate legal action against those “responsible for defamation and false accusations against the institution and its officials without any evidence whatsoever”.

Analysts said that the statement issued by the ISPR is absolutely correct that the allegations being levelled are not acceptable without any evidence, and the government should act on it.