‘Funeral Of Professionalism’: Pakistani DG ISPR Trolled For Winking At Female Journalist On Camera | World News
Pakistan’s military spokesman, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has found himself at the center of a growing online backlash after video emerged from a recent press briefing showing him winking at a female journalist while answering a question about jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
A brief clip from the briefing, now widely circulated on
Chaudhry added a controversial phrase in Urdu to his reply: “Aur chautha nuqta bhi jor lein, woh zehni mareez bhi hain”
(“Add a fourth point: that he is also mentally ill.”)
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The expression on his face while saying these words triggered immediate criticism, which was interpreted by the audience as a wink towards the journalist.
Pakistan Army DG ISPR winks at a woman journalist who questions why they are tagged as being funded by Delhi.
To be honest, even I wasn’t surprised.pic.twitter.com/FzA4SMgSM8— Elite Predators (@elitepredators) December 9, 2025
Why did the reaction occur?
The reaction online was swift and brutal. Users called the move “unprofessional” and “insulting.” In several posts, the general was accused of mocking both the journalist and the former elected leader.
The phrase “Ahmed (Not) Sharif Chaudhry” started trending in Pakistan’s digital space through parody accounts.
One widely shared post read: “This isn’t a press conference, this is a breakdown in etiquette.”
Another said the gesture marked the “burial of professionalism” within Pakistan’s military media machinery.
Although the Pakistani military has not officially clarified whether the wink was intentional or not, the silence itself has fueled speculation; Analysts note how even symbolic gestures now carry political weight in Pakistan’s highly polarized climate.
The context that makes it explosive
This was not an isolated moment of argument. As Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Chaudhry became the public face of Pakistan’s military messaging during some of the country’s most sensitive political periods, especially after the arrest and imprisonment of Imran Khan.
It wasn’t just the alleged wink that made this video viral, but also what it symbolized:
* A militarized state’s discomfort with direct interrogation
* The opposition’s space is shrinking
* A senior general appears to mock both a journalist and a political rival
In Pakistan, where ISPR briefings are carefully prepared, scripted and broadcast, body language is rarely incidental. That’s why this incident resonated far beyond a single viral clip.
