Pakistan’s military establishment has landed in fresh controversy after a video clip surfaced showing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry winking at a woman journalist, Absa Komal, during a press briefing — a gesture now being widely described as “shameful” and “unprofessional” on social media.
The viral footage shows Komal questioning Chaudhry over his sweeping allegations against jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whom he had branded a “national security threat,” “anti-state,“ and someone allegedly acting “at the hands of Delhi.”
The Wink That Triggered Online Fury
When the journalist pressed him on how these claims differed from earlier accusations and whether more developments were likely, Chaudhry escalated his rhetoric by adding yet another charge, saying:
“He is also a zehni mareez (mental patient).”
Shortly afterwards, he smiled and winked at Komal — a moment that quickly ignited widespread backlash.
Although the clip’s authenticity has not yet been independently verified, reactions online were swift and scathing.
“Shameless. Pakistan Army Spokesperson seen winking at a female journalist during a press conference. In any normal country there would have been a public and media outrage and immediate action by the institution. In Pakistan, harassment of women is normal,“ wrote journalist Aditya Raj Kaul on X.
Shameless. Pakistan Army Spokesperson seen winking at a female journalist during a press conference. In any normal country there would have been a public and media outrage and immediate action by the institution. In Pakistan harassment of women is normal.pic.twitter.com/nFYpcrL3jK
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 9, 2025
Another user commented, “Women’s harassment is so normalized in Pak that no one outraged over.“ A third summed up public anger by noting, “And he is a General of the Pakistan Army… No wonder the state of affairs they are in.”
Pakistan Army Spox winked at a female journalist during a PC.
Women’s harassment is so normalized in Pak that no one outraged over ‘Qaum ke Fu*ker’ 🤲🏻 pic.twitter.com/1Hlr48I0yW
— BALA (@erbmjha) December 10, 2025
A PR Disaster for the Pakistan Army’s Public Face
The episode has proven particularly damaging for Lt Gen Chaudhry, who in recent months has emerged as the combative public face of the Pakistan Army, regularly delivering sharp briefings laced with anti-India rhetoric. Earlier this year, he had already drawn attention during the brief military standoff between New Delhi and Islamabad.
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Adding to the scrutiny is Chaudhry’s personal background: he is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a designated terrorist and known associate of Osama bin Laden — a fact that frequently resurfaces in debates about his credibility.
The controversy erupted at a time when Chaudhry has stepped up attacks on Imran Khan. During the same press conference last week, he labelled the former prime minister a “narcissist“ and a “mentally ill person,“ accusing him of pushing a narrative that threatens Pakistan’s national security.
Chaudhry even cited Khan’s social media activity as proof of a deliberate campaign to “build a narrative against the Pakistan Armed Forces.”
These remarks came in response to Khan calling Army Chief Asim Munir a “mentally unstable person“ and blaming him for the “complete collapse of the Constitution and rule of law in Pakistan.”
The ISPR chief further alleged that Indian media outlets, social media accounts linked to India’s Research and Analysis Wing, and Afghan networks were amplifying Khan’s anti-army messaging online.
Yet, amid all the political sparring and accusations, it is the wink — a seemingly minor but loaded gesture — that has now snowballed into a reputational storm for Pakistan’s powerful military, raising awkward questions about professionalism, propriety, and the public conduct of its top generals.
