A special Corps Commander Conference chaired by the army chief on Monday decided that people involved in arson and vandalism incidents against military installations on May 9 will be tried under the Army Act, the Official Secrets Act, and other relevant laws, ISPR said in a statement.

“The Forum expressed firm resolve that those involved in these heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/ equipment will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act’“the statement issued after the meeting said.

The statement said that the law and order situation that had emerged across Pakistan in recent days was created with the aim of acieving ‘vested political interests’.

“The Forum resolved that restraint will no longer be exercised against perpetrators, spoilers and violators who attack military installations and setups under any circumstances,” the statement said.

ISPR said that the attacks on military installations and shuhada monuments came from a ‘well-coordinated plan’ and had the aim of provoking the army into a ‘impulsive reaction’.

“Based on the irrefutable evidence collected so far, Armed Forces are well aware of the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of these attacks and attempts to create distortions in this regard are absolutely futile,” the statement added.

The Forum expressed firm resolve that those involved in these heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/ equipment will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act.

“Forum also showed concern over externally sponsored and internally facilitated, orchestrated propaganda warfare, unleashed against the Army leadership,” the ISPR said, adding that the aim was to create fissures between Armed Forces and people of Pakistan, and within army.

ISPR said that the ‘vicious propaganda of such inimical forces’ will be defeated and called for strict action those who had ‘violated’ social media regulations.

However, the statement also called for ‘a national consensus’ to solve Pakistan’s problems and said that the army would support any steps that led to this consensus.

“Forum emphasized need of national consensus amongst all stakeholders to address ongoing political instability at priority so as to restore public confidence, reinvigorate economic activity and strengthen democratic process. The forum also resolved to support all such efforts to reach this much needed consensus,” the statement said.

Protests had broken out across Pakistan after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan was arrested by Rangers personnel from Islamabad High Court on May 9. The protests had turned violent in many places leading to incidents of arson and vandalism in many places.

The corp commander house in Lahore and the Radio Pakistan office in Peshawar had suffered the most severe damage, but incidents had occurred around military installations across Pakistan.