LAHORE: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major-General Asif Ghafoor said on Tuesday that development of the country was not the job of army, even then it was playing its part in the process of national development by constructing roads, hospitals, setting up schools, colleges and universities. The general was delivering a talk on the topic of “Role of Army in the Development of Pakistan” here at University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore. The DG ISPR said false propaganda was on the rise against the army, which aimed at creating gulf between the nation and the army so that people start raising questions over the credibility of the institution, but this propaganda he said won’t succeed as Pakistanis have the utmost in the army. Addressing UMT students and the faculty, Major General Asif Ghafoor said: “In order to know the actual facts, we need to be neutral in judging the news circulating in media especially on social media because most of them are not true at all rather fabricated ones. We must have our own opinion unaffected by others and only believe the stuff when we can see, touch and hear them. This is also what Islam tells us to authenticate the information comes to your way prior to passing on it to others.” He said: “Everyone by nature is fundamental and this is ok unless you demonstrate and try to harm others through your behaviour.” Differentiating between terrorism and fundamentalism, the ISPR DG said not every fundamentalist was a terrorist, as “I am also a fundamentalist.” “(Similarly) not every terrorist relates himself with fundamentalism,” he said, “Western countries and Indians are also fundamentalists.” “If I’m someone who wants everyone to view the world through my perspective, then I’ll not be called a fundamentalist but an extremist,” Ghafoor said. The ISPR director general urged that Pakistan was one of the most beautiful landscapes located in the valuable geography and a blessing from the Almighty. “When someone wants destruction of a country, then its fore and foremost target is security forces and then general public.” Responding to a question that why terrorists were only targeting Pakistan and not the other neighbouring countries, the general said it was because of the fact that Pakistan was an ideological country with the strong army and now CPEC was also an attraction that enemies were busy hatching conspiracies and sponsoring the terrorist outfits.
Earlier, DG ISPR extended condolences over the sad demise of UMT founder, Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad, who had died in a tragic accident on September 10, upon his returning from Gilgit. He offered dua for the departed soul and shared his grief with the newly-elected president of the varsity Ibrahim Hasan Murad. Dr Ahmed Omar Murad, chairman ILM Trust, Dr Muhammad Aslam Rector UMT, Abid HK Shirwani, DG UMT and other officials were present on the occasion.
Major General Asif Ghafoor also planted a tree sapling in the university ground. The rector of the varsity Dr Muhammad Aslam also presented a souvenir to the DG ISPR.
