Pakistan Army Rejects Rumours of Apology Demanded from PTI

The Pakistan Army has firmly denied claims that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir, demanded an apology from PTI during his recent visit to Brussels. Military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry clarified that media reports attributing apology remarks to the Chief of Army Staff were entirely baseless.

Addressing reporters in Islamabad on Thursday, the Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) stressed that no such comments were ever made. “The Army Chief neither gave an interview nor was any apology demanded from PTI during the Brussels trip,” he stated, rejecting the narrative presented in a newspaper column by senior journalist Sohail Warraich.

No Apology Demanded from PTI, Only Publicity Stunts

According to the DG ISPR, the article in question stemmed from Brussels trip where hundreds of overseas Pakistanis interacted with the COAS and took photographs. However, the field marshal did not engage in any formal discussion or press interaction.

Chaudhry strongly criticized what he described as an attempt to gain publicity through misleading reporting. “Irresponsible journalism damages institutions,” he said, warning that any suggestion of apology remarks to Chief of Army Staff undermines national trust in leadership. He emphasized that perpetrators of the May 9 violence will still face accountability, and such diversions will not affect the rule of law.

When asked about possible legal action against the outlet that carried the false report, the spokesperson urged media organizations to exercise caution and avoid spreading inappropriate or misleading information.

Regional Challenges and National Resilience

Moving beyond the controversy, the DG ISPR highlighted Pakistan’s broader security landscape. He asserted that the nation holds immense potential to transform regional dynamics, which is why it remains a frequent target of hostile powers. India’s strategy of backing terrorism through proxies, he explained, has consistently been thwarted by Pakistan’s armed forces.

He further reminded political leaders of the need to fully enforce the National Action Plan, particularly its 14 points aimed at countering extremism. Illegal Afghan involvement in crimes, he added, must be addressed without political interference.

Concluding his remarks, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry paid tribute to the sacrifices of security forces and called on the youth to recognize their role in safeguarding Pakistan’s ideological foundations. “Our youth are our true asset,” he affirmed.