Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), faced extensive backlash after he winked at Absa Koman, a woman journalist.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), is facing massive backlash after he was caught on camera winking at a woman journalist moments after she questioned him about jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In the now-viral clip, the reporter, Absa Koman, grills Sharif Chaudhry on the accusations branding Imran Khan a “national security threat” and “anti-state,” before asking, "How is it different from the past, or should we expect any development in the future?"
Chaudhry answers, "and add a fourth point that you are missing; he is also a 'zehni mareez' (mental patient)." Moments later, he flashes a smile and winks at the journalist - a gesture that has sparked outrage.
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The video has triggered widespread condemnation online, with users slamming the act as 'disrespectful' and ‘shameless’ and unbecoming of a senior military official.
A user wrote, “Such behavior in Pakistan exposes the deep-rooted disrespect towards women in society. Incidents like these demand strict action and accountability from the authorities.”
Another user commented, “Pakistani army is very unprofessional. It looks like Pakistani army doesn’t provide its soldiers with proper training or discipline.”
Pak Army Spokesman on Imran Khan
The controversy follows Chaudhry’s remarks last week, where he labelled Imran Khan “a mentally ill person,” “a narcissist,” and “a security risk.” He noted during an extensive media briefing that the military had never taken such an open, unsparing position against a political figure before, calling the move “unprecedented.”
His comments came in response to Khan’s recent criticisms of the military leadership, relayed through his sister, Uzma Khan, during a rare jail visit. Uzma later told reporters that her brother was in good health but “very angry.” The remarks were subsequently posted on Khan’s X account.
Imran Khan, lodged in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, has been serving a three-year sentence since August 2023 in the Al-Qadir Trust case, with additional corruption verdicts stretching his total imprisonment to 14 years, the harshest sentence he has faced so far.
Meanwhile, officials have dismissed rumours about Khan’s death or secret relocation, insisting he remains inside Adiala Jail and is in stable condition.
