Banners in support of Pak army in Islamabad against PTI's smear campaign

Islamabad: In an apparent retaliation to the criticism of the armed forces at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rallies, banners inscribed with slogans in favour of the military establishment were put up in different areas of Islamabad on Saturday, reported local media. However, it is not yet clear who put up these banners on poles, road dividers, and trees in different areas of the capital city, reported the Dawn newspaper.

Notably, permission is required from the Directorate of Municipal Administration, Islamabad for displaying or hanging banners in Islamabad, however, police and the administration officials expressed their ignorance about the presence of the banners. According to the police, earlier also, officials of different government departments staged a demonstration in favour of the armed forces on Friday and over 50 officials of the National Assembly Secretariat also took part in the protest against those who were criticising the armed forces, according to the media outlet.

Moreover, a group of Pakistan Secretariat's officials also staged a similar demonstration at Pakistan Secretariat, said the police. Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, wall chalking was found against Pakistan Army and its chief, following which a case was registered. According to the FIR, a police team during patrolling in the area of Bahria Town found provocative remarks on walls against the national security institutes.

This comes as the Pakistani Army is facing rising public scorn to the extent that the Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his influential public relations department are desperately trying to stem the tide of anger against the military. The social media campaign, spearheaded by former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, has spread dissonance among the army leadership about General Bajwa's failure to protect the army's reputation, Islam Khabar reported.