New Delhi: Pakistan’s military establishment is facing a fresh wave of embarrassment after a video surfaced showing the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, winking at a woman journalist, Absa Koma,l during a press conference — a gesture now being labelled as “shameful” and “unprofessional” across social media platforms.

The viral clip captures Komal questioning Chaudhry on his explosive allegations against jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan — calling him a “national security threat,” “anti-state,” and allegedly acting “at the hands of Delhi.”

When she asked how this differed from past accusations and whether further developments should be expected, Chaudhry retorted by adding a fourth label: “He is also a zehni mareez (mental patient).” Moments later, he smiled and winked at her, sparking widespread outrage.

Though the authenticity of the clip is yet to be independently verified, the reaction online was immediate and blistering.

“He’s not a professional soldier,” one user posted on X. Another wrote, “How can someone in uniform wink like this publicly? This shows how unprofessional their army is.” A third comment summed up the sentiment: “And he is a General of the Pakistan Army… No wonder the state of affairs they are in.”

The uproar is particularly damaging for Chaudhry, who has become the aggressive public face of the Pakistan Army in recent months — delivering confrontational briefings dense with anti-India rhetoric. He courted controversy earlier this year during the brief military flare-up between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Adding to the scrutiny is Chaudhry’s own background: he is the son of Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, a declared terrorist and known aide of Osama bin Laden — a detail often resurfacing during debates on his credibility.

The latest controversy emerged just as Chaudhry intensified his attacks on Imran Khan. At the same briefing last week, he branded Khan a “narcissist” and a “mentally ill person”, accusing him of crafting a narrative designed to destabilise Pakistan’s national security.

He even cited the former PM’s social media posts as evidence of a coordinated attempt to “build a narrative against the Pakistan Armed Forces.”

His remarks came in retaliation to Khan calling Army Chief Asim Munir a “mentally unstable person” and holding him responsible for the “complete collapse of the Constitution and rule of law in Pakistan.”

Chaudhry further alleged that Indian media, social media accounts linked to India’s Research and Analysis Wing, and Afghan networks were amplifying Khan’s anti-army messaging online.

However, despite the political fire, it is the wink — a seemingly casual gesture — that has now blown up into a full-scale reputational crisis for Pakistan’s powerful military, raising uncomfortable questions about decorum, professionalism, and the public image of its top generals.