Early career Chaudhry is from the
Electrical and Mechanical Engineering corps and previously served as Director General of
Defense Science and Technology Organization, taking over in December 2022 and replaced
Babar Iftikhar. On 11 May 2024, Chaudhry was reportedly elevated to the rank of
Lieutenant General.
May 2024 press conference On 8 May 2024, during a press conference in his capacity as DG ISPR, Chaudhry responded to inquiries regarding the potential for dialogue with
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by stating that "If some political mindset, leader or clique attacks its own army, causes rifts between the army and its people, insults the nation’s martyrs and issues threats and hatches propaganda, then there can be no dialogue with them." He also remarked that the "there is only one way back for such political anarchists that PTI asks for an earnest apology in front of the nation and promises that it will forgo politics of hate and adopt constructive politics". On the same day, PTI termed Chaudhry's press conference as "‘a pack of lies’ and ‘full of contradictions and frustration". PTI also stated that the statements made by Chaudhry would deteriorate relations between the state and its people. The following day,
Imran Khan declined to offer an apology.
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan also dismissed Chaudhry's press conference and questioned his authority to engage in political negotiations. Ayub further stated that Chaudhry appeared "confused and lacked narrative." On 10 May, PTI also labeled Chaudhry's press conference as "unconstitutional and illegal."
Role during May 2025 India–Pakistan conflict Chaudhry condemned, as unprovoked aggression, Indian airstrikes under "
Operation Sindoor" targeting alleged militant infrastructure in Pakistan and
Pakistan-administered Kashmir, during
renewed escalation of hostilities between India Pakistan after a
terrorist attack in Kashmir. Chaudhry said that Pakistan would respond at a time and place of its choosing. On 8 May 2025, India said its air defenses had intercepted Pakistani drones and missiles targeting several Indian cities, including
Amritsar in the Indian state of
Punjab. Amritsar is the seat of the
Golden Temple,
Sikhism's holiest shrine. In a subsequent press conference, Chaudhry instead accused India itself of launching ballistic missiles at Amritsar. He claimed India was targeting its own Sikh population and expressed sympathies for "Sikhs and minorities" in India. India denied the allegation of targeting its own cities as a "deranged fantasy" and called it an attempt to stoke internal religious division in the midst of the conflict. Chaudhry further accused India of launching drone strikes and ballistic missile attacks into Afghanistan immediately after targeting Amritsar. This was denied by both the
Taliban government of Afghanistan and the Indian government. Chaudhry was awarded the
Sitara-e-Basalat following his engagements in the warfare. == Criticism ==