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Inter-Services Public Relations

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This article is about the Pakistani military media directorate. For the Bangladeshi directorate, see Inter-Services Public Relations (Bangladesh).

Inter-Services Public Relations
AbbreviationISPR
FormationMay 1949; 75 years ago (1949-05)
TypeMilitary Organization
PurposeCivil-Military Relations
HeadquartersRawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Region
Pakistan
Official language
Urdu, English
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
Parent organization
Pakistan Armed Forces
AffiliationsGovernment of Pakistan
Websitewww.ispr.gov.pk

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) (Urdu: بین الخدماتی تعلقات عامہ), is the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces. It broadcasts and coordinates military news and information to the country's civilian media and the civic society.[1]

The ISPR directorate serves the purpose of aiming to strengthen public relations with the civic society, and civil society through interacting with the media.[1] The directorate also works as the principle voice of the Pakistan's military, with its director-general serving as the official spokesperson of the armed forces.[1]

Overview

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The Directorate of the Inter–Services Public Relations (ISPR) was established in 1949 with army colonel Shahbaz Khan becoming its first director-general.[1] The ISPR operates as a unified public relations system for the Pakistan Armed Forces, which includes army, air force, navy, and marines.[1] The ISPR manages the public relations requirement of the armed forces, and is staffed with the combined personnel of the military along with civilian officers.[1] It plays an important role for gathering a national support for the armed forces at the public level.[1] The ISPR also aims to strengthen support for the military's assigned contingency operations while undermining the perceived stature of the adversary.[1]

In views of US army colonel John Adache, the ISPR interfaces between the armed forces, civil media, and the civic society.[1] Furthermore, the ISPR also formulates the media policy of the unified armed forces, and aims to safeguard the military interests of the armed forces from negative sentiment. The ISPR also monitors international and domestic media, surveying the nature of international reporting regarding Pakistan's military issues.[1]

On a regular basis, the ISPR broadcasts televised news regarding the strategic operations in foreign and domestic areas. In Pakistan's military staff appointments and assignments, the ISPR is often perceived as one of the most prestigious directorates of Pakistan Armed Forces.[1]

Its executive authority, a director-general, is a chief military spokesperson of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

Reorganization

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In 2024, the ISPR underwent reorganization and expansion. Two two-star Major-general rank officers were appointed in the ISPR to handle foreign or strategic communication and domestic media.[2] This will be the first time that ISPR will be permanently headed by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant General instead of Major General, and for the first time, two Major Generals will be appointed in ISPR.[3]

Structure of ISPR
Directorates Name Rank
Director-General Alpha (DG A) Haroon Hameed Chaudhry Major general
Director-General Bravo (DG B) Kamran Tabrez Savera Major general

Operations

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ISPR is responsible for garnering national support for the armed forces as well as strengthening their resolve to accomplish the assigned mission while undermining the will of the adversary.

It also acts as an interface between the armed forces, the media and the public.[4] It formulates much of the media policy of Pakistan's military, safeguards the armed forces from negative influences and monitors both international and domestic media.

Principal media network

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On regular basis, the ISPR release televised press releases on the ongoing military exercises, and notifies the civilian media about the ingenious strategic arsenal testings.[5][6]

Apart from functioning as the public relations body of the armed forces, the ISPR handles exclusive dissemination of information regarding Pakistan's ongoing military contingency operations.[4]

Media productions

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Main article: Inter-Services Public Relations media productions

Since the 1990s, the ISPR has been producing mini-series, drama, and films on military fiction. The first ISPR drama was Sunehray Din which was released in 1991.[7] Some of the most famous dramas of ISPR include Ehd-e-Wafa, Waar, Shahpar, Ek Thi Marium and Sinf-e-Aahan. ISPR also made its first animated series Team Muhafiz in collaboration with Geo Entertainment which broadcast in 2022. Apart from dramas, the ISPR has also released many songs with the first one being titled "Rang Layega Shaheedon Ka Lahoo". ISPR has also released documentary films with the one being The Glorious Resolve, released in 2018.[8] ISPR is well known for its media productions.

Controversies

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According to journalist Talat Hussain. there are allegations that ISPR restricted press freedom within the country. It's claimed that ISPR has instructed national media to censor certain figures or events and even shutting down transmission channels.[9]

The ISPR has been accused of exerting influence over media channels during the 2024 Pakistani general election to censor the portrayal of Imran Khan.[10]

List of ISPR Directors General

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Rank and Name Start of Term End of Term
Colonel Shahbaz Khan May 1949 July 1952[11]
Commodore Maqbool Hussain August 1952 October 1965[11]
Colonel Z. A. Suleri November 1965 August 1966[11]
Lieutenant Colonel Masud Ahmed September 1966 February 1967[11]
Brigadier A.R. Siddiqui March 1967 November 1973[11]
Brigadier Fazal ur Rehman December 1973 March 1977[11]
Brigadier T H Siddiqui April 1977 July 1985 [11]
Brigadier Siddique Salik August 1985 17 August 1988 [11]
Major General Riaz Ullah December 1988 September 1991 [11]
Major General Jahangir Nasrullah October 1991 April 1993[11]
Major General Khalid Bashir May 1993 July 1994[11]
Brigadier S M A Iqbal August 1994 February 1995 [11]
Major General Saleem Ullah March 1995 August 1998 [11]
Brigadier Ghazanfar Ali September 1998 October 1998 [11]
Major General Rashid Qureshi November 1998 May 2003 [11]
Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan June 2003 February 2007[11]
Major General Waheed Arshad February 2007 January 2008[11]
Major General Athar Abbas January 2008 June 2012[11]
Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa 3 June 2012 11 December 2016[11]
Major General Asif Ghafoor 15 December 2016 31 January 2020
Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar 1 February 2020 5 December 2022
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry 6 December 2022 Incumbent

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Adache, PhD, Col. John (2014). The Military and Public Relations. Bloomington, Indiana [US]: AuthorHouse Publications. ISBN 978-1496982360. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  2. ^ "ISPR reorganization: Two Major Generals to take charge under DG Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif". 31 July 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Military's Media Wing revamped with new inductions". The Nation. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b staff. "The ISPR". Govt. of Pakistan (PowerPoint). Retrieved 18 November 2014.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "ISPR Press Release on testings". ISPR Press Release. 17 November 2014. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  6. ^ DG ISPR. "ISPR Press release". ISPR Press Release, timeline. Archived from the original on 29 August 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Sunehray Din (TV Mini Series 1991)". IMDb. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Glorious Resolve (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  9. ^ "'Extreme fear and self-censorship': media freedom under threat in Pakistan | Pakistan | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  10. ^ Khan, Ashraf (19 February 2024). "Pakistan election surprise highlights ways to fight censorship". Index on Censorship. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Ex Directors & Director General of ISPR". Inter-Services Public Relations website. 2 January 2007. Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
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