A video of Pakistan ISPR Chief Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry winking at journalist Absa Komal has ignited a fierce political row. The moment occurred after Komal questioned him about allegations branding jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan as a national security threat, anti-state actor, and someone acting “at the hands of Delhi.” She also asked whether any new developments should be expected.
Chaudhry replied by adding that Khan was also a “zehni mareez” (mental patient). He then smiled and winked at Komal, which triggered heavy criticism online. Users on X called the act a symbol of Pakistan’s democratic decline. One user wrote that democracy was “over,” while another labelled the country “a meme of a nation.”
A day earlier, Chaudhry described Khan as a “narcissist” whose desire for power had reached an extreme point. He claimed that people meeting Khan in jail were being used to spread “poison” against the army.
Chaudhry also repeated the allegation that Khan was responsible for the May 9, 2023, attacks on military sites. The unrest followed Khan’s arrest. Thousands of supporters stormed army and government buildings. Khan has denied organising the violence and accused Army Chief General Asim Munir of destroying Pakistan’s rule of law.
