DG ISPR’s Campus Visits: Engaging Youth to Counter Anti-Army Narratives

In mid-2025, the DG ISPR, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the head of military media in Pakistan, conducted high-profile visits to universities, medical colleges, and student internship forums. His goal was clear. He desired to establish goodwill at the grassroots level. He also desired to overcome unfriendly stories about the Army. Between July and September 2025, he will have met hundreds of student leaders and faculty members. These were not routine visits. They showed how the military was making a conscious attempt to reach out to the youths. This was meant to counter misinformation. It was also aimed at restoring and strengthening the confidence of the people in the military.

Background

The information warfare situation in Pakistan has made the Army a sensitive frontier of public perception. The opponents attempt to generate doubt via social media and propaganda. One of the main victims of these negative narratives is the youth, which constitutes a fast-growing percentage of the population. The ISPR has responded by increasing its soft-power activities to students and educators. It depends on free discussion sessions, patriotic meetings, and formal internships. The objective is to introduce the youth to the perspective of the military. The attempt is to weaken propaganda with stories of solidarity and strength. New operations, like the recent Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, can bring new material to the discussion. DG ISPR talks at campuses to clarify that Pakistan has a right to self-defense and the central role of the Army in national security.

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Institutional Visits (July-September 2025)

ISPR Summer Internship Program (July 21, 2025, Rawalpindi)

On July 21, the participants of the nationwide ISPR Summer Internship 2025 received a special address by DG ISPR. The 6-week initiative united some 6,500 students across 33 cities. They attended workshops, lectures, and field visits. The DG emphasized the importance of youth support to the Armed Forces in his address. He reminded them that student energy and commitment were a force multiplier. He linked this spirit to recent events. He said as an example that the support of the people, particularly the contribution of the youth, was one of the major factors that led to a resounding victory in Marka-e-Haq. Official reports indicated that interns expressed pride in the Armed Forces. They said that the determined action of the Pakistani military in Operation Bunyan Marsoos would be remembered in history. The ISPR later affirmed that participants were taken to some of the main installations, like PMA Kakul. They also had exclusive sessions with the DG ISPR himself. This massive internship scheme is a counter-propaganda mechanism. It also yields positive testimonials among the youth of Pakistan.

Government College University (GCU), Lahore (July 26, 2025)

On July 26, DG ISPR traveled to Government College University in Lahore and gave a special address to hundreds of students in the university. According to state media, he addressed major points of the response of the Pakistan Army to the Indian Operation Sindoor. He also pointed to the success of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos. The DG complimented the youth in his remarks in terms of their spirit, thought, and patriotism. He pointed out the role of student morale that had contributed to frustrating hostile designs.

The GCU forum was very interactive. Students posed questions related to social and national matters, which included security and sovereignty. The DG encouraged them to participate and keep themselves informed. The students of GCU ended the session with a performance of the national song in honor of the Armed Forces. Independent reporters noted that students were enthusiastic about the event. Some even asked that these sessions should be conducted more frequently. Both the official response and grassroots response were covered by PTV and SAMAA TV. The Army positioned itself as a friend of young intellectuals. The students, in their turn, expressed support for the Armed Forces.

Source: Instagram

DG ISPR in GC University Lahore

Rawalpindi Medical University (August 9, 2025)

On August 9, DG ISPR visited Rawalpindi Medical University and attended another session with students. The event drew wide praise. Radio Pakistan said that the atmosphere was one of great appreciation and national spirit. The coverage of ISPR itself reported that the students of RMU have shown their solidarity with the Armed Forces completely. The words of the student were sufficient to describe the atmosphere: “No matter how hard the enemies of the nation try, they cannot distance the youth from their armed forces”.

Source: 24 News

DG ISPR Session with students of RMU

The media reports showed the session as evidence that even students of major cities’ universities can be proud supporters of the Army against anti-state forces. The visit solidified the message of the DG that there is still unity between civic society and security institutions. It also indicated that the students themselves perceived the Army as being protectors of the country, directly opposed to negative rumors of misconduct.

Murree Schools (September 6, 2025)

DG ISPR visited Murree, the hill city, in early September 2025, and conducted interactive programs in top schools in the city, such as Army Public School Murree, Convent of Jesus and Mary, and Presentation Convent. Students there participated in open Q&A sessions on national awareness, youth involvement, and military involvement. The theme was summed up in the words of students: “The army is part of us, and we are part of it. No enemy can drive a wedge between us and our defenders”. This feeling echoed the unity message as emphasized by the DG. According to the Business Recorder, the visit was a long-overdue move to enhance the relationship between the military and the youth. With visits to students beyond the major urban centers, the DG indicated outreach to the hinterland and to young women as well, as the schools were mixed and girls’ institutions. The bigger picture was evident: in smaller towns, the Army continues to enjoy wide credibility with the upcoming generation.

Source: Dunya News

DG ISPR visited Murree Schools

The Youth Outreach as a Narrative Management Tool

These institutional visits play important narrative roles. The trust is created during direct engagement, where unscripted questions are answered face-to-face and DG ISPR communicates a sense of transparency. When student communities publicly state their support, they become supporters, resisting aggressive speech. Patriotic gestures such as singing national songs or rising to standing ovations are powerful visuals that get enhanced through the state media. Radio Pakistan, PTV, and private channel coverage mean that the message is delivered to nationwide audiences and that the Army position is often framed as being shared by students. Scale is also critical: the internship program itself involves thousands of people in Pakistan, and it is a mass campaign, not an isolated event. Civilian support is a way through which DG ISPR redefines security as a collective effort of the Army and the people.

Conclusion

The campus tours and internship of DG ISPR Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in mid-2025 can be well summed up as a narrative-management push. The Army has infiltrated youth discourse by involving thousands of students across the country. Testimonials emphasizing unity and patriotism indicate the effect these visits have on hostile propaganda, as well as the effect of fostering trust.

In the future, it is possible to increase impact by taking two steps: reaching rural and smaller-town institutions more widely, and amplifying sessions via digital platforms. Online videos, photo stories, and student testimonials can be shared to reach a national audience with each event. Essentially, these interactions have enhanced the image of the Army among young people. Lasting, broader, digitally enhanced campaigns can strengthen goodwill and build national unity.

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