Senior journalist and analyst Sohail Warraich has reacted to a recent statement from Pakistan Army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, offering clarification about his meeting with Field Marshal Asim Munir.

In a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Warraich expressed his personal respect for Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

He noted that while Lt-Gen Sharif is generally cordial in their interactions, the points he denied were not part of Warraich’s column.

He suggested that the DG ISPR may have been mistaken, thinking there was personal gain involved in the column, and stated he is available to clarify any lingering questions.

Warraich’s column, published in the Jang newspaper on August 16, claimed that he met Field Marshal Asim Munir for the first time in Brussels, Belgium.

He indicated that the army chief provided clear answers to his questions during this meeting.

In his column, Sohail Warriach had claimed that in response to a question, the army chief said that political reconciliation is possible through sincere repentance.

The columnist was probably referring to former prime minister Imran Khan, who has been in prison for more than two years.

However, five days after the column’s publication, Lt-General Ahmed Sharif contended that the Army Chief did not give any interviews and accused Warraich of fabricating statements for personal advantage and publicity.

The spokesperson stated that during an event in Brussels, the Army Chief did not mention the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party or any apologies, expressing disappointment in what he described as irresponsible behaviour from a senior journalist.

In his Saturday post, Warraich reiterated that Ahmed Sharif correctly stated there was no interview given by the Field Marshal, emphasising that the term “interview” was never used in his column.

He clarified that the title of his piece was “First Meeting,” and he did not imply it was a one-on-one discussion.

The event had eight hundred attendees, and conversations held there, including during a meal, were not considered off the record.

Warraich also clarified that there was no discussion of May 9, Imran Khan, or any apologies during the meeting, urging readers to re-examine his column, as it contains no mention of these topics at all.

“I merely noted one sentence: that the Army Chief referred to verses from the Holy Quran regarding political reconciliation. Whatever impression people or trolls took from that is up to them.”

According to Warriach, “the very points that were so emphatically denied weren’t even present in the story.“

Addressing the issue further, Warraich stated that the mention of Quranic verses, forgiveness, angels, and the devil was a segment of the Field Marshal’s speech.

“You can interpret it however you like — that’s your choice,” he said.

He also reiterated his personal desire for reconciliation and national stability.

“There seems to be no room whatsoever for compromise, forgiveness, or agreement. But can a sinner not express a personal wish?“ he asked.

“Nothing positive can come from negative thinking and negative tactics,” he concluded.