DG ISPR exposes alleged misuse of intelligence amid accusations of fueling terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
INCIDENT:
In a sweeping operation that has reshaped the lives of millions, Pakistan has repatriated over 1.7 million Afghan nationals since September 2023, citing security threats from cross-border terrorism. The move, part of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, has accelerated in recent months, leaving deportees to face harsh winter conditions, limited aid, and uncertain futures in a country gripped by humanitarian needs. As global watchdogs warn of rights violations, the expulsions highlight the fragile ties between Islamabad and Kabul, with ordinary Afghans caught in the crossfire.
FULL STORY:
The press conference, broadcast live and lasting over an hour, focused on Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts in 2025. Lt Gen Chaudhry presented data showing 5,397 terrorist incidents nationwide, with 80% in KP and Balochistan. He highlighted 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs), resulting in 2,597 militants killed and 1,235 security personnel martyred.
Midway through, Chaudhry shifted to political critiques, playing video clips of PTI leaders like KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and displaying screenshots from Imran Khan’s social media. Without naming Khan directly, he described the PTI founder as running the party “like a dictator,” with all decisions revolving around one person.
On the former DG ISI, Chaudhry asked rhetorically: “Where is the DG ISI from that time who was used for political purposes?” He stressed it was a “game of personalities,” not institutions, and that the prime minister at the time held powers “unseen since Pakistan’s independence.” This marked the first public military accusation tying Khan directly to exploiting Faiz Hameed politically.
The briefing ended with Chaudhry rejecting PTI’s opposition to military operations, warning against handing KP “over to terrorists for the sake of politics.”
CONTEXT & BACKGROUND:
Pakistan’s military and PTI have been at odds since Imran Khan’s ouster in April 2022 via a no-confidence vote. Khan has accused the army of engineering his removal, while the military denies involvement in politics but has condemned PTI’s “anti-army rhetoric.”
Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, DG ISI from 2019 to 2021 under Khan’s government, was seen as close to the PTI leader. His tenure included controversial moves, like mediating in political disputes. In August 2024, Faiz was arrested by the military on charges of misuse of authority, corruption, and violating the Pakistan Army Act. A field general court-martial began in September 2024, with allegations including post-retirement collusion with political interests to incite unrest, linked to the May 9, 2023 riots following Khan’s arrest.
Those riots saw PTI supporters attack military installations, leading to hundreds of arrests and trials. In September 2024, DG ISPR hinted at Khan’s possible military trial if evidence showed he used army personnel for personal gain.
The January 6 presser builds on this, framing PTI’s KP policies-such as calls for negotiations with militants and military withdrawal-as enabling terrorism. KP, bordering Afghanistan, has seen a resurgence of groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) since the Taliban’s 2021 Kabul takeover. Chaudhry blamed Afghan soil for hosting terrorists, with Indian funding allegedly involved.
This accusation’s significance lies in escalating military-PTI friction, potentially eroding public trust in institutions. With Khan imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges (including corruption and incitement), it fuels debates on civilian-military balance in Pakistan’s hybrid democracy.