No evidence of ‘regime change’ conspiracy found: DG ISPR

Rawalpindi: Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar this week said that the National Security Committee in its meeting made it clear that no evidence of conspiracy was found for alleged regime change in the country.

The ISPR DG in an interview with a private news channel said all three services chiefs were present at the NSC meeting. The participants in the meeting were informed by the agencies that there was no evidence of any conspiracy, nothing like that, he added.

He informed that the country’s armed forces have not increased their budget since 2020, said Major General Babar Iftikhar.

He said Pakistan’s Armed Forces have not increased the budget since 2020, which has fallen below the inflation rate, added, whereas the defence budget was falling below the GDP ratio this year.

“Everyone has the right to have their discourses but distortion of the facts and lie was punishable. General Pervez Musharraf (retd) is ill, the military leadership is of the view that he should return,” he said.

The DG ISPR said relations with China were very important for peace in the region. He said that China has strengthened Pakistan’s defence force. “The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has not diminished in any way in terms of security, and work was being done on CPEC at the governmental level, progress was being made in government-to-government contacts,” he added.

On the instructions of Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, he said, the Pakistan Armed Forces reduced its utility bills by saving diesel and petrol, Pakistan Army vehicles would not run public vehicles extraordinarily on everything Friday in a week. Training exercises are also being restricted to cantonments so that travel expenses were kept to a minimum, he remarked.

DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar said that the Pakistan Army has returned Rs. 6 billion after savings during COVID-19 period and Rs 3.5 billion in terms of savings in military equipment to the government of Pakistan.

The Fauji Foundation was benefitting 2 million people from the health care of the Foundation, while 70,000 boys and girls were getting education in the education system.

In response to a question, he said that fabricated rumors were spread against the leadership of Pakistan Army and false propaganda was spread which should be avoided.