Inter-Services Public Relations
The Directorate of Inter-Services Public Relations (known by its acronym ISPR) (Urdu: شعبہٴ تعلقات عامہ) 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.[4][5][6]
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[edit] 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, 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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 Army, 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.
[edit] Media Production
The ISPR has also produced TV drama serials, such as the widely popular Alpha Bravo Charlie, Sunehre Din, 6th September Nishan-e-Haider plays[citation needed] and the recent miniseries Wilco.[citation needed]
[edit] List of ISPR Directors General
- Colonel Shabaz Khan (May 1949 - July 1952) [7]
- Commodore Maqbool Hussain (August 1952 - October 1965)[7]
- Colonel Z A Suleri (November 1965 - August 1966)[7]
- Lieutenant Colonel Masud Ahmed (September 1966 - February 1967)[7]
- Brigadier A R Siddiqui (March 1967 - November 1973)[7]
- Brigadier Fazal ur Rehman (December 1973 - March 1977)[7]
- Brigadier T H Siddiqui (April 1977 - July 1985)[7]
- Brigadier-General Siddique Salik (August 1985 - August 17, 1988)[7]
- Major General Riaz Ullah (December 1988 - September 1991)[7]
- Major General Jahangir Nasrullah (October 1991 - April 1993)[7]
- Major General Khalid Bashir (May 1993 - July 1994)[7]
- Brigadier S M A Iqbal (August 1994 - February 1995)[7]
- Major General Saleem Ullah (March 1995 - August 1998)[7]
- Brigadier-General Ghazanfar Ali (September 1998 - October 1998)[7]
- Major General Rashid Qureshi (November 1998 - May 2003)[7]
- Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan (June 2003- February 2007)[7]
- Major General Waheed Arshad (February 2007 - January 2008)[7]
- Major General Athar Abbas (January 2008–present)[7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Persons of 16 years of age with parental permission.[citation needed]
- ^ The Military Balance 2010, p. 367, International Institute for Strategic Studies (London, 2010).
- ^ The SIPRI Military Expenditure Database
- ^ Abbas assumes charge as DG ISPR today
- ^ Maj Gen Athar Abbas appointed new DG ISPR
- ^ New chief of ISPR takes charge today -DAWN - National; January 15, 2008
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Ex Directors & DG ISPR". http://www.ispr.gov.pk/General/ex_dgs.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-27.[dead link]
