The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has allowed 26 retired officers of the armed forces to appear on media as defence analysts. “Their views/comments/opinions on media shall remain personal/independent expression and not attributable to the institution,” read the notification. The prominent omissions are Brig (r) Mahmood Shah, Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Asad Durrani, Lt Gen Talat Masood, retired Maj Amir and two former DG ISPR retired Maj Gen Athar Abbas and Maj Gen Rashid Qureshi. However, the notification said that any other retired officer desirous of appearing as defence analyst can contact the ISPR to obtain a no-objection certificate. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority recently instructed all television channels to seek prior clearance from the ISPR before inviting retired military officers on news and current affairs programmes “to solicit their views on matters of national security”.

Source: Pakistan Today April 16, 2019 18:33 UTC