The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) clarified on Friday that recent media reports discussing the combat readiness of the Pakistan Army and the opinions of the former army chief regarding potential threats to Pakistan were taken “out of context.”
The military’s media wing released a statement today: “Lately, media debates have emerged concerning the Pakistan Army’s combat preparedness, particularly concerning the state of certain weapon systems in its arsenal.
The statement continued, “In this context, the remarks made by the former army chief about future threats to Pakistan, which were shared with media representatives during an off-the-record interaction, have been misquoted.”
The ISPR emphasized that the army assures the people of Pakistan that they take pride in their operational readiness and will continue to do so.
The statement also highlighted that Pakistan’s armed forces would maintain their weaponry, equipment, and “battle-hardened human resource” to defend the nation.
This ISPR statement follows journalist Hamid Mir’s recent interview with a local TV station. He claimed that “[former COAS] Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa informed 20 to 25 journalists in 2021 that the Pakistan Army was not combat-ready.”
Mir recounted events after the 2021 Line of Control ceasefire between Pakistan and India, alleging that Gen. Bajwa had secretly agreed on [occupied] Kashmir, and the details were not yet public.
He further claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was supposed to visit Pakistan immediately after the ceasefire. Still, neither the then-foreign minister nor the prime minister knew about it.
Mir continued, saying that the then-prime minister insisted on informing the Foreign Office about Modi’s visit, leading to “Bajwa’s arrival at the FO with his entire convoy to deliver a lecture.”
The journalist alleged that the same speech had been given earlier, claiming that “[Pakistan Army] tanks were inoperable and there was no diesel for troop movement.”
Mir stated that even when 20 to 25 reporters were told about the Pakistan Army’s lack of combat capability, they did not believe it then, adding that the entire incident occurred at General Headquarters.
 debunks media reports about the combat readiness of the Pakistan Army, saying former army chief's comments were quoted out of context. The ISPR asserts the continuous pride and readiness of Pakistan's armed forces.){kind=link}