No question on use of Pakistani soil in Zawahiri's killing: DG ISPR

• ISPR says campaign has caused deep anguish, distress among Shuhada families. 
• It adds hurtful and derogatory comments are "unacceptable and highly condemnable".
• Six Pakistan Army personnel were martyred in Balochistan helicopter crash.

The Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations Major General Babar Iftikhar Friday commented on rumours concerning the use of Pakistan’s air space in the drone strike that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri and said that there was "no question on the use of the Pakistani soil in Zawahiri's killing.

“The Foreign Ministry has issued a clear statement regarding Ayman Al-Zawahiri. It is impossible that Pakistan’s soil has been used for this,” he said, adding that irrelevant comments are made without any evidence.

Condemning the negative propaganda on social media which took off after the helicopter crash, the director-general said: “We have been distressed since the accident on August 1. The propaganda has caused immense pain, particularly to the families of the martyrs."

Emphasising that this should not happen, General Babar said that elements spreading negative propaganda and rumours should be rejected.

“Insensitive behaviour is unacceptable and should be condemned on every platform,” he asserted, adding that the Pakistan Army is grateful for the nation which stands by them and the martyrs.

Commenting on three years since India’s abrogated Article 370 ending Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir’s special autonomous status, the DG ISPR said, Pakistan Army stands with the people of Kashmir.

“The issue of Kashmir must be resolved and we will work toward it at every platform,” he maintained.

Martyrs of helicopter crash laid to rest 

On Tuesday, the martyrs of the helicopter crash in Balochistan were laid to rest with full military honours in Rawalpindi.

The funeral prayers of Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali, Major General Amjad Hanif, and Brigadier Muhammad Khalid were offered at the Army graveyard.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, federal ministers, Azad Jammu and Kashmir's prime minister, foreign dignitaries and a large number of senior serving, retired military and civil officials and relatives of the martyrs attended the funeral prayers.