DG-ISPR denounces claims made by BBC in controversial article

RAWALPINDI (92 News) – Inter-Service Public Relation (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor denounced the news story published by BBC and the claims it staked and said that they have reached out to the publishers against the piece. The ISPR director general took to the social media website twitter where he shared screen grabs of the libelous article and called it “a pack of lies in violation of journalistic ethos.” The tweet read: “News story published by BBC on 2nd June 2019, titled “Uncovering Pakistan’s Secret Human Rights Abuses” is pack of lies and in violation of journalistic ethos. The issue is being formally taken up with BBC authorities.”  

News story published by BBC on 2nd June 2019, titled “Uncovering Pakistan's Secret Human Rights Abuses” is pack of lies and in violation of journalistic ethos. The issue is being formally taken up with BBC authorities. pic.twitter.com/A3QtbXJIkS

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) June 3, 2019

The ISPR DG said that the story carries conjecturing implicating Pakistan Army without any proof. “The angling, spinning and creditability of the story is exposed from the fact that contrary to published claim, ISPR only received a judgmental questionnaire via email,” he added. He also explained that in response ISPR offered full opportunity even interaction to know the facts (copy attached). BBC team never responded and did a preconceived conjectured story. “The story is void of the context and understanding of the prevalent environment at that time,” he mentioned. Contrary to the expression in the story, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor clarified that Operation in North Waziristan as per the given date of so called incident in the report had not yet started. “The area (NWD) was being used by terrorists to plan, coordinate and execute terrorists activities across the country. On the average 6-8 terrorists’ incidents per month were taking place across Pakistan targeting children, women, schools, churches and markets,” he added. “People were being slaughtered in NWD and terrorists were playing football with heads of their victims. NWD and local population was actually hostage to hardcore terrorists. The BBC story lacks any credible and authentic source and merely relied on hearsay,” he further said. The DG ISPR said that the basis of the complete story on “So Called Strikes” quoting an unauthentic private TV channels news of 22 Jan 2014. “The only source interviewed also didn’t point at anyone or talked about strike or operation. The issue mentioned in the report is of NWD whereas quoted activist as source is of a particular group from South Waziristan District (SWD).” Besides not availing full opportunity offered by ISPR, he said that the BBC report ignored available official government stance on recent Kharkamar check post incident in NWD. He explained that the writer surely lacked knowledge of environment, ground situation, geography of the area and about conduct of operations. “The story remains ill intended, biased and part of a larger agenda. It also amounts to undermine Pakistan’s efforts for fighting global menace of terrorism and Pakistan’s unparalleled achievements in war against terrorism contributing to regional peace.” He termed that the Pakistani people are well aware of the fake news phenomenon of all types and design behind such undertakings. “The issue is being formally taken up with BBC authorities,” he added.