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Media should not undermine institutions: Kayani
Arguing that ruthless criticism of ISI in Pakistan, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said media should not undermine institutions.
Islamabad: Arguing that "ruthless criticism"
of ISI in Pakistan was far higher than made on RAW, Mosad or
the CIA in India, Israel or USA, army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez
Kayani said media should not undermine institutions.
Kayani also said he had taken a "conscious decision" four and half years back to keep the army away from politics and will continue to stick to it.
"If you want to fight with history in this context, it`s your choice to do so. However, establishing institutions require a lot of hard work and the media should be careful... that their words do not undermine these (institutions)," Kayani was quoted as saying in a media report while underlining that the Mehran Bank scandal was a 20-year old issue. Mehran Bank scandal refers to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court here in which ISI is alleged to have paid large sums of money to political parties to keep the Pakistan People`s Party out of power way back in early 90s.
Kayani made the comments speaking to senior journalists at a farewell reception for Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman at the Prime Minister House, The Express Tribune reported.
On the issue of alleged involvement of intelligence agencies in missing persons cases, Kayani said that institutions are not made easily adding, however, that they are also not above criticism.
"Gen Kayani added that one should be careful that while criticising one must not undermine national institutions or organisations," it said. Using the US as an example, Kayani was reported to have said that the American army was not criticised by its people as harshly as the Pakistan Army was criticised by Pakistanis.
"The US media is careful in reporting events of US casualties in Afghanistan, for example. He said that the ruthless criticism of ISI in Pakistan was far higher than any criticism made on RAW, Mosad or the CIA in India, Israel or USA," the daily said.
Meanwhile The News International daily quoted Kayani as saying, "I took a conscious decision four-and-a-half years ago not to take part in politics and since then the army has stayed away from politics and I stand by my decision and will stick to it.
"I assure you the army is not involved in politics and it must be appreciated for this," he added.
PTI
Kayani also said he had taken a "conscious decision" four and half years back to keep the army away from politics and will continue to stick to it.
"If you want to fight with history in this context, it`s your choice to do so. However, establishing institutions require a lot of hard work and the media should be careful... that their words do not undermine these (institutions)," Kayani was quoted as saying in a media report while underlining that the Mehran Bank scandal was a 20-year old issue. Mehran Bank scandal refers to an ongoing case in the Supreme Court here in which ISI is alleged to have paid large sums of money to political parties to keep the Pakistan People`s Party out of power way back in early 90s.
Kayani made the comments speaking to senior journalists at a farewell reception for Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman at the Prime Minister House, The Express Tribune reported.
On the issue of alleged involvement of intelligence agencies in missing persons cases, Kayani said that institutions are not made easily adding, however, that they are also not above criticism.
"Gen Kayani added that one should be careful that while criticising one must not undermine national institutions or organisations," it said. Using the US as an example, Kayani was reported to have said that the American army was not criticised by its people as harshly as the Pakistan Army was criticised by Pakistanis.
"The US media is careful in reporting events of US casualties in Afghanistan, for example. He said that the ruthless criticism of ISI in Pakistan was far higher than any criticism made on RAW, Mosad or the CIA in India, Israel or USA," the daily said.
Meanwhile The News International daily quoted Kayani as saying, "I took a conscious decision four-and-a-half years ago not to take part in politics and since then the army has stayed away from politics and I stand by my decision and will stick to it.
"I assure you the army is not involved in politics and it must be appreciated for this," he added.
PTI