Pakistan General's Wink at Journalist Sparks Fury Amid Anti-Imran Rhetoric

A high-ranking Pakistan official has sparked widespread outrage on social media after winking at a female journalist during a press conference. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, was responding to a question from Pakistani journalist Absa Komal about allegations against former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Komal had asked General Ahmed about his claims that Khan was a national security threat and an anti-state figure who acted at the behest of India. In response, General Ahmed added a fourth point to his accusations, calling Khan a 'mental patient' (zehni mareez). The video of the incident, which has gone viral, shows General Ahmed winking at Komal as he makes this statement. The gesture has been widely criticized as unprofessional and disrespectful. On social media, many users have called out General Ahmed's behavior, with some accusing him of trying to intimidate the journalist. In a separate briefing, General Ahmed accused Imran Khan of orchestrating anti-army narratives and warned that such acts would no longer be tolerated. He also stated that the military's media wing would clarify any ambiguities and doubts and would firmly confront anyone who attacks the armed forces with their ego or delusion. The exchange comes amid a long-standing feud between General Ahmed's military regime and Imran Khan, who has been behind bars since 2003 on corruption charges. The situation remains tense, with the military regime warning of no talks with terrorists, including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army.