Islamabad: Pakistan’s army chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday visited the Inter-Services Intelligence headquarters, amid an ongoing debate in media and political circles about the ISI following allegations made by family of a prominent journalist injured in a gun attack in Karachi lat week.

Lieutenant General Zahir ul Islam, Director General ISI received the Chief of Army Staff, who was given detailed briefing on internal and external security situation of the country, according to a press release issued by the Interu-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

General Sharif “appreciated the role of ISI towards national security and lauded the contributions and sacrifices of its officers and men towards strengthening the defence of the motherland,” the ISPR release said.

Journalist Hamid Mir, anchorperson of a local private television channel, is under treatment at a Karachi hospital for bullet wounds.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has visited the journalist at the hospital, has ordered a high-level judicial probe into the incident.

On the government’s request Pakistan’s Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani on Monday recommended three Sureme Court judges for the probe and the interior ministry is to notify the cosntiution of the judicial inquiry commission and its terms of reference.

Amir Mir, brother of Hamid and also a journalist, had accused some members of the ISI for the attack. The ISPR had regretted the “baseless and misleading” finger-pointing at the ISI.

During a debate Monday in the Senate, several opposition lawmakers underlined the need for a thorough investigation, while criticising the tendency to make hasty accusations.

They urged the ISI to avail itself of this opportunity to clear its name by facilitating the probe of the incoming judicial commission.

Leader of Opposition in the Senate, Aitzaz Ahsan, a senior Pakistan People’s Party leader, said that though he had personally been critical of the ISI’s interference in the country’s political history, he believed no one should “jump to accusations against an institution”.

“The ISI should take the allegations as a challenge and extend its assistance in the investigations,” Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Senator Nasreen Jalil said.

Senator Mushahid Hussain of the PML-Q said that since the ISI was an institution of the state, it should not be left “defenceless”.

“ISI and army-bashing must be stopped. Since ISI is part of the state’s defence infrastructure, it is the duty of the government to come to its defence,” he said.

The house adopted a unanimous resolution expressing “deep concern over the series of attacks on journalists” and urging the government to take steps to protect them.

At the beginning of the session, reporters covering Senate proceedings walked out from the Press Gallery to protest the attack.

But they returned after both treasury and opposition leaders promised to form a Senate committee which would look into a possible legislation for the safety and protection of the rights of journalists.