Inter Services Public Relations
Encyclopedia
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) is an administrative military organization within the Pakistan Defence Forces that coordinates military information with the media and the civil society. The ISPR is now headed by 2-star rank officer Major General
Athar Abbas
who took over from Major General Waheed Arshad
on 15 January 2008.
In Pakistan's military staff appointments and assignments, the ISPR is one of the most prestigious directorate of Pakistan Armed Forces. Its executive officer is also a chief military spokesperson of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The director-general directly reports to Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretariat
, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
as well the head also directly report to Chief of Air Staff
of Air Force
, Commandant
of Marines
, and the Chief of Naval Staff
of Navy
and the Coast Guard
.
It also acts as an interface between the Armed Forces, the media and the public. 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.
, the ISPR handles exclusive dissemination of information regarding Pakistan's military operations in Wana
& Swat
. The news of a clash in Balochistan between military contingents and unknown armed personnel resulting in the death of the tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was also verified once the ISPR issued comments on the news. The news regarding the recent events of the Lal Masjid conflict was also disseminated by the ISPR.
, Sunehre Din, 6th September Nishan-e-Haider
plays and the recent miniseries Wilco.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Athar Abbas
Athar Abbas
Major General Athar Abbas is a two-star general and the current military spokesperson for the Pakistan Defence Forces who replaced Major General Waheed Arshad as the new Director General of Inter Services Public Relations on January 14, 2008....
who took over from Major General Waheed Arshad
Waheed Arshad
Lieutenant General Waheed Arshad, HI, TBt, afwc, fsc, psc, is a three-star general in the Pakistan Army who is currently serving as the Chief of General Staff at the General Headquarters. His previous appointments at the GHQ include; IG Training and Evaluation , Vice Chief of General Staff and DG...
on 15 January 2008.
History
The public relations requirements of the Armed Forces are looked after by the ISPR Directorate. The ISPR Directorate was established in 1949 as Army's Colonel Shabaz Khan was appointed its first director-general. Commodore Maqbool Hussain is the only naval officer of the Pakistan Defence Forces to have privileged to head the directorate. The majority of its executive heads had come from the Army Branch, and as of today, Army's 2 star rank officer is heading the ISPR directorate.In Pakistan's military staff appointments and assignments, the ISPR is one of the most prestigious directorate of Pakistan Armed Forces. Its executive officer is also a chief military spokesperson of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The director-general directly reports to Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretariat
Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Pakistan
The Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee , is a military administrative body of high-ranking and senior uniformed military leaders and officers in the Pakistan Defense Forces who advises the civilian Government of Pakistan, National Security Council, and Defence Minister on important military matters...
, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
as well the head also directly report to Chief of Air Staff
Chief of Air Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force, abbreviated as CAS, is typically the highest ranking 4-star rank officer in the Pakistan Air Force, unless a four-star officer is appointed as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The CAS is a senior and permanent member of the...
of Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
, Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of Marines
Pakistan Marines
The Pakistani Marines , are the Marine Corps and amphibious corps service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The Pakistani Marines are a special military operations service branch of the Pakistani Navy and part of Pakistani Armed Forces, responsible for providing force projection from the sea,...
, and the Chief of Naval Staff
Chief of Naval Staff (Pakistan)
The Chief of the Naval Staff, abbreviated as CNS, is the highest ranking officer in the Pakistani Navy unless a 4-star naval officer is appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The current Chief of the Naval Staff is Admiral Asif Sandila who commands the Navy. The CNS reports...
of Navy
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases...
and the Coast Guard
Pakistan Coast Guard
The Pakistan Coast Guards is an important branch of the Pakistan Civil Armed Forces and one of the six paramilitary services operating under the administrative control of Minisrty of Interior, Government of Pakistan. Pakistan Coast Guards, headquartered in Karachi, is unique in that it has...
.
Operations
The ISPR directorate is staffed with combined military of Pakistan Defence Forces alongside with large sum of civilian officers. It functions as a part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Secretariat and its purpose is to garner national support for the Armed Forces and strengthen 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. 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
The ISPR also issues notices regarding military exercises and notifies relevant parties and the public media about Pakistan's indigenous ballistic missile testing program. Apart from functioning as the public relations body of the Pakistan ArmyPakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, the ISPR handles exclusive dissemination of information regarding Pakistan's military operations in Wana
Battle of Wana
The Battle of Wana was a military engagement between Pakistan Army and the Taliban forces, supported by the foreign fighters of Osama Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda. The battle was among one of the bloodiest battle fought by the Pakistan Army, and it ended violently with 49 infantry troop soldiers dead...
& Swat
Swat (Pakistan)
Swat is a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, located close to the Afghan-Pakistan border. It is the upper valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range. The capital of Swat is Saidu Sharif, but the main town in the Swat valley is Mingora...
. The news of a clash in Balochistan between military contingents and unknown armed personnel resulting in the death of the tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was also verified once the ISPR issued comments on the news. The news regarding the recent events of the Lal Masjid conflict was also disseminated by the ISPR.
Media Production
The ISPR has also produced TV drama serials, such as the widely popular Alpha Bravo CharlieAlpha Bravo Charlie
Alpha Bravo Charlie is an action and thriller drama series, produced by ISPR and directed by acclaimed Pakistani drama and film director Shoaib Mansoor. It was hugely popular and set a record for TRPs in Pakistan. It is a sequel to drama series Sunehre Din with some of the same cast...
, Sunehre Din, 6th September Nishan-e-Haider
Nishan-e-Haider
Nishan-e-Haider or Nishan-e-Hyder is the highest military decoration given by Pakistan . It was established in 1957 after Pakistan became a Republic, however, it was instituted retrospectively from Independence in 1947...
plays and the recent miniseries Wilco.
List of ISPR Directors General
- Colonel Shabaz Khan (May 1949 - July 1952)
- Commodore Maqbool Hussain (August 1952 - October 1965)
- Colonel Z A Suleri (November 1965 - August 1966)
- Lieutenant Colonel Masud Ahmed (September 1966 - February 1967)
- Brigadier A R Siddiqui (March 1967 - November 1973)
- Brigadier Fazal ur Rehman (December 1973 - March 1977)
- Brigadier T H Siddiqui (April 1977 - July 1985)
- Brigadier-General Siddique Salik (August 1985 - August 17, 1988)
- Major General Riaz Ullah (December 1988 - September 1991)
- Major General Jahangir Nasrullah (October 1991 - April 1993]])
- Major General Khalid Bashir (May 1993 - July 1994)
- Brigadier S M A Iqbal (August 1994 - February 1995)
- Major General Saleem Ullah (March 1995 - August 1998)
- Brigadier-General Ghazanfar Ali (September 1998 - October 1998)
- Major General Rashid QureshiRashid QureshiMajor General Rashid Qureshi, SI, SBt, is a retired two-star general, and the close aide of former President General Pervez Musharraf. He is the current spokesman of Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League.-Military career:...
(November 1998 - May 2003) - Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan (June 2003- February 2007)
- Major General Waheed ArshadWaheed ArshadLieutenant General Waheed Arshad, HI, TBt, afwc, fsc, psc, is a three-star general in the Pakistan Army who is currently serving as the Chief of General Staff at the General Headquarters. His previous appointments at the GHQ include; IG Training and Evaluation , Vice Chief of General Staff and DG...
(February 2007 - January 2008) - Major General Athar AbbasAthar AbbasMajor General Athar Abbas is a two-star general and the current military spokesperson for the Pakistan Defence Forces who replaced Major General Waheed Arshad as the new Director General of Inter Services Public Relations on January 14, 2008....
(January 2008–present)