 "Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry was appointed to the post of 22nd Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) by Asim Munir in 2022. Image courtesy: icbian.com")
A Pakistan Army spokesperson is being slammed for winking at a woman journalist.
A video of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry winking at a woman journalist during a press briefing has gone viral.
The clip shows the woman journalist asking Chaudhry about former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been in jail for the past few years.
But what happened? Who is Chaudhry? What do we know about him?
Let’s take a closer look.
What happened
The woman journalist in the clip which has gone viral was asking Chaudhr y about the allegations levelled against Imran.
“… there are strong words being used … that he is a national security threat, anti-state and playing at the hands of Delhi. How is it different from the past or should we expect any development in the future,” she said.
To which Chaudhry replied, “And add a fourth point, he is also a zehni mareez (mental patient).” Chaudhry then winked at the journalist.
Many on social media slammed Chaudhry for his behaviour, saying that the Pakistan Army had “reached a new low.”
“Ahmed (Not) Sharif Chaudhry,” one person commented.
“A DG ISPR answering a woman journalist with a wink? That’s the burial of professionalism. Press conference tha ya sasta flirting?” another asked.
What we know about Chaudhry
Chaudhry, a three-star general, is one of the Pakistan Army’s top officers. He was appointed to the post of 22nd Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which is the media wing of the Pakistan armed forces, by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir in 2022. He is the first-ever officer from the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Corps to lead ISPR. The job is usually done by those in the fighting branches.
He has also served as the Director General of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), a key technical research and development establishment under the Pakistan Army responsible for defence science, technology, research, and related strategic systems. Chaudhry is an alumnus of the Islamabad College for Boys (ICB).
Chaudhry is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a scientist and terrorist linked to ex-Taliban chief Osama bin Laden. Mahmood was sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council for assisting Islamist outfits in getting their hands on nuclear know-how. Mahmood is said to have met bin Laden and given him crucial pointers on how terrorist groups can build a nuclear programme and how they could use such a weapon.
Mahmood also reportedly raised funds for the Islamist group Ummah Tameer-e-Nau. Mahmood was placed on the list for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of”, “supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to” or “otherwise supporting acts or activities of” Usama [Osama] bin Laden, Al-Qaida and the Taliban, according to the UNSC’s sanctions committee. Mahmood also played a key role in setting up the Kahuta Enrichment Plant and Chashma Nuclear Project.
Chaudhry came under the spotlight during India’s Operation Sindoor in May. He claimed Islamabad would “never target civilians”, and claimed that any future strikes by India would lead to a response. He also ran strategic messaging for Pakistan’s Operation ‘Bunyan al-Marsoos’ in response to India’s Operation Sindoor.
Chaudhry previously also threatened India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty – remarks which echoed threats made by terrorist Hafiz Saeed. “Tum humara paani band kar doge, toh hum tumhara saans band kar denge,” Chaudhry proclaimed. He also claimed that Pakistan had “irrefutable evidence” of India’s involvement in the targeted killings of various individuals within the country.
The Pakistan Army is yet to release a statement addressing the controversy.
With inputs from agencies