RAWALPINDI : Pakistan Army spokesman Major General ,Babar Iftikhar , has said that former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf is in poor health.The Army leadership is of the view that he should return to Pakistan.
Speaking to a private TV program, Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the visit of Chief of Army Staff to China was very important. He said that General Qamar Javed Bajwa was the first Army Chief to meet President Xi Jinping. Pakistan’s strategic and relations with China are very important. He stated that China has always stood by Pakistan. He said the purpose of this visit was to strengthen other ties, including defence relations with China which are crucial for peace in the region. China has played an important role in enhancing Pakistan’s defense.China has played an important role in enhancing Pakistan’s defence, he noted. He said security of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been provided by the Pak Army, Iftikhar Babar said several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the Army Chief ‘s visit to China. Major General Babar Iftikhar said the budget always starts discussion on defence budget as only limited resources are taken into account in the budget. He said that India has always increased its defence budget where as Pakistani forces have not increased their budget since 2020. In fact , he added , Rising inflation has reduced the defence budget in terms if GDP percentage. He maintained that the Army Chief has directed the exercises should be carried out on a small scale instead of on a large scale.Savings are being made in utility bills, diesel and petrol in the Armed Forces. He said that six billion rupees were returned last year in COVID 19 funds.The Pakistan Army spokesman said no one has the right to distort the facts, for some time now the forces, the leadership has been being subjected to propaganda, everyone has the right to their opinion but lies should not be resorted to. DG ISPR further said that I have already made it clear, there was no conspiracy, During the meeting, the three service chiefs were present in the meeting. The participants in the meeting were informed by the agencies that there was no evidence of any conspiracy, nothing like that. In response to a question about the former president, he said General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf’s health is very bad, May Allah give him health. He said the military leadership was of the view that Pervez Musharraf should return to Pakistan but it’s his family to take a final decision.