Senior journalist Suhail Warraich on Friday said that a column he wrote about a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir, igniting a controversy, had been “misunderstood”.
In a column published on Aug 16, Warraich — a senior editor at the Jang newspaper — wrote that COAS Munir had spoken to him during a stopover in Brussels, on his way back from a recent trip to the US. “On a question about politics, he (the army chief) said that political reconciliation is possible only if there is a sincere apology,” the column read, without specifying who the army chief was referring to or who the question was about. However, that quote ended up stirring a controversy in the commentariat.
Challenging the impression that the army chief had “sought an apology over the May 9 riots”, the military’s spokesperson had said on Thursday that Field Marshal Munir did not make any political statements during a recent trip to Brussels. He had also rebuked the senior journalist in remarks carried by state-run Radio Pakistan.
In his first public comment on the situation since then, Warraich issued a statement on X today. It must be pointed out that, when approached for a comment following the DG ISPR’s clarification, Warraich had declined to make one.
On Friday, he said that while he had respect for Lieutenant-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, “the points he (Chaudhry) refuted were never mentioned in my column. Perhaps he spoke based on a misunderstanding.”
Warraich said that he was ready to offer further clarification if there were any further questions.
He said the Inter-Services Public Relations director general had firmly said that the army chief had given no interview. To this, he responded: “Please reread my entire column — nowhere does it use the word ‘interview’. The title of my column is simply ‘First Meeting’, neither more nor less. I never wrote it was a one-on-one meeting.”
Warraich said it was “absolutely correct” that no discussion had taken place about the May 9 riots or PTI founder Imran Khan, adding: “Kindly reread the column; it contains no mention of May 9, Imran Khan or his apology. I wrote only one sentence: that regarding political reconciliation, he (the army chief) cited verses of the Holy Quran and their translation. What impression people or trolls drew from it is their prerogative.”
He said the points refuted “on such a large scale” were not even a part of his column. “If they’re in someone’s mind then it depends entirely on their choice,” Warraich added.
Regarding the criticism he received from various quarters, he said there was no need for a response.
“The coming time and the history to be written will clarify every matter. I have always avoided fights and arguments in life and even after much thought, my opinion remains the same.”
Concluding his statement, he said the bits he had written about in his column were but a “fragment” of the army chief’s address and whatever interpretation one wanted to take from them was their wish.
“Those who poke their noses in my column are making arbitrary interpretations and artificial interpretations to achieve their own goals and interests. As time goes on, everyone’s true nature will be revealed. History is the only source that exposes false claims, fake truths and so-called allegations. History will decide in favour of journalism.”
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