- 102 Facing Military Trails For Roles During Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan Arrest, Violence
Director General (DG) of the Pakistani Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, on Monday announced that at least three officers, including a Lieutenant General, have been dismissed from services for their failure to protect military installations on May 9.
The Spokesperson also said that military trials are being heard in the Supreme Court under the Army Act where the “trial of 102 miscreants is underway and this process will continue… The military courts did not come into existence after May 9, they were already present and functioning. The civil courts have transferred these cases to the military courts after checking evidence and as per the law.”
He also said that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against “those who failed to keep the security and honour of garrisons, military installations, Jinnah House and General Headquarters intact.”
In line with this, three officers including a Lieutenant General, have been dismissed and “strict disciplinary proceedings” against three Major Generals and seven Brigadiers have been completed so far.
While he described the ranks of those facing the process of accountability, the military Spokesperson did not name them but merely said: “As of now, a granddaughter of a retired four-star general, son-in-law of a retired four-star star general, wife of a retired three-star general, and wife and son-in-law of a retired two-star general are facing this process of accountability due to irrefutable evidence.”
Speaking about the violence that broke out following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, he also said it was “undoubtedly” a conspiracy against the country which had been planned months in advance. Furthermore, he also said that more than 100 people are being tried in military courts over the violence that broke out.
‘Facts’ about the May 9 riot
At the beginning of the press conference, Sharif said the purpose of this address was to provide “facts” regarding the events of May 9 and said, “The incident of May 9 is extremely disappointing, condemnable and a black chapter in the history of our country.”
He added, “The events of May 9 have proven that what enemies couldn’t do in 76 years, a bunch of miscreants and their facilitators did,” adding that it was “undoubtedly a conspiracy against Pakistan”.
The ongoing probe into the riots which followed the sudden arrest of Imran Khan has found evidence that the protests were “being planned for the past several months.” The chief military spokesperson added, “Under this planning, first a conducive environment was created and people were instigated and provoked against the army.”
In a seeming reference to Imran Khan who has repeatedly criticised the Pakistan army in the past couple of months. Notably, the country’s army remains Pakistan’s most powerful institution, having reportedly ruled it directly for nearly half of its 75-year history through three coups. However, on May 9 protesters also attacked the army installations across the country, in a somewhat unprecedented move.
“Then, in this connection, a narrative based on lies and exaggeration was spread on social media inside and outside the country,” said Sharif, adding that the Pakistan army has found evidence against them.
Nearly 100 soldiers lose their lives to violence
The military spokesperson said that as many as 95 officers and jawans (soldiers) lost their lives due to the violence. He added, “However, the successful war against terrorism will continue until all terrorists are eliminated.”
Pakistan army’s ‘self-accountability process’
During the press conference, the chief military spokesperson also said that the army has completed its process of “self-accountability…without any discrimination” and went on to detail the outcomes of the two comprehensive inquiries, led by the Pakistan army’s major generals over the violent events that took place at army garrisons on May 9.
The statement came during the DG ISPR’s — the military’s Spokesperson — press conference at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi as he came down hard on the May 9 vandals and the people responsible for inciting hate against the military.
With agency reports
