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Pakistan army has sacked three army officers, including a lieutenant general, for their failure to prevent the violent protests of May 9, the military’s spokesperson said on Monday. In a rare public announcement, he spoke about the institution’s internal inquiry and its outcome.
“The army has completed a process of internal accountability,” Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Major General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a press conference in Islamabad.
Chaudhry declined to name the senior officers, who had been fired, in the press talk which centred on the events of May 9 and actions taken against it.
Thousands of supporters of the former prime minister had rampaged through scores of military installations and vandalised them – including an air base, several cantonments, the house of a general and the army’s headquarters. The reaction had come after the PTI chief was arrested by paramilitary forces within court premises in a graft case last month.
“We had to determine why security was breached at army installations. We had to find out what had gone wrong,” Chaudhry said. He said two departmental inquiries were conducted, headed by major generals, and punishments were given according to their recommendations.
The military’s spokesperson went on to add that 15 officers, including three major generals had been disciplined, as part of internal accountability in the military. He did not specify what action had been taken. The punishments had been awarded after two separate army inquiries were completed into the riots, which many in the ruling alliance believes was “terrorism”.
“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 on the basis of irrefutable evidence,” said Chaudhry.
Maj-Gen Sharif added that as many as 17 standing military courts were functioning in which the trial of “102 miscreants” was under way and the process would continue.
The army has punished those responsible for the lapses of security around military installations such as Jinnah House (Lahore’s Corps Commander’s House). “This shows how strict the process of accountability inside the army,” he said. He did not specify what action had been taken.
At least three to four masterminds and 10 to 12 planners were behind May 9 events, he stated.
“The events of May 9 were a conspiracy against Pakistan that was organised through brainwashing.”
He added that an account created in the name of a woman was being run by a gentleman sitting in the Gulf.
“The events of May 9 can neither be forgotten nor can the perpetrators and those who planned and abetted it be forgiven,” he said.
The head of the military’s public relations wing opened the press conference by condemning the May 9 riots.
“There is an intense anger in the forces and the families of martyrs over the incident,” he said, “the families of martyrs are asking the army and army chief if we will be able to protect the honour of martyrs in the future.”
The ISPR director general added that the basis of a country’s stability was the “link between its people and its army”. He claimed that “anti-Pakistan” forces tried to damage such a bond over many issues such as the size of the defence budget and alleged human rights abuses.
“The link could not be broken because soldiers regularly lay down their lives for the country,” he said and described the events of May 9 as the peak of a year’s worth of propaganda that had “fooled innocent citizens” particularly the youth with “false ideas of a revolution”.
He also played video messages by family members of army martyrs who condemned the events.
The press conference came at a critical juncture as the Supreme Court was hearing a host of petitions, including one from the PTI chairman, against possible military trials of people arrested for May 9 violence.
“No one expected that a political party would attack its own army like this. But when it did happen, the army rendered this conspiracy unsuccessful. Had it given the response they wanted, their conspiracy would have been successful.”
The ISPR DG was of the view that “it is clear as day” that the masterminds of the May 9 riots were those who told the people to act against the army.
“It is most important to expose the planner and facilitators of these events and bring them to justice if the nation wants to move on from May 9,” he stated and adding that otherwise “any other political party will repeat these actions”.
He went on to add that people from all schools of thought, from politicians to media persons and courts, would have to work together and reject this “mentality” to prevent a repeat of such events.
“We all must know that the biggest danger to the State of Pakistan is from internal instability and it has two faces: one is terrorism against which the armed forces and intelligence agencies are standing like a wall. The other face is lack of tolerance, the peak of which was seen on May 9.”
He rubbished the allegation that the May 9 riots were a false flag operation of the Pakistan army.
“This statement shows the vile mindset of those who say that the army or agencies were involved in the May 9 riots. Footages, audio and video recordings proved that the violent protests were carried out after proper planning,” he added.
Even before May 9, Major General Ahmed Shareef alleged that people were brainwashed and incited against the army. “I ask you was it the army that attacked military installations all over the country?”
When asked about concerns from the West over the country’s situation, the ISPR DG said that the human rights violation narrative was “usually spread” from foreign countries which were then peddled by people inside the country.
“These actors then get supported by the statements of the non-governmental organisations,” he said.
“With this propaganda, these internal actors then reach out to foreign countries with their propaganda which hurts the country’s economic interests,” he added.
To another query, he said that the May 9 riots were not isolated incidents. “The purpose of attacking the military installations was to force the army to react. They [protesters] used women as human shields. No one was expecting that a political party will attack its own army. However, the army foiled their plans by not giving a reaction.”
He refused to name the masterminds of the May 9 riots.
“It would be too early to say who the masterminds were. But they are the same people who brainwashed people’s minds against their army,” he said, the perpetrators of May 9 will be brought to justice. But it is important to identify and persecute the masterminds of these riots.“
He was of the view that the role of the journalist community of Pakistan was essential in busting propaganda and urged the journalist community to promote “responsible journalism”.
“The biggest threat to the country is internal rift and terrorism,” he said.
Chaudhry stated that the army, intelligence and law enforcement agencies have been fighting against terrorists and would continue to do so. “If we do not stop the internal rift, it will pave the way for an attack from outside the country”.
The ISPR said that the defence budget was at the lowest level, allocation-wise, in the “history of the country” at 12.5 per cent of the budget presented this year.
“We must understand a few things that the deduction in the defence budget was according to the overall economy of the country. The army, airforce and navy do not consider themselves to be separate from the country or its economy … we are part of this and our problems are collective,” the DG ISPR clarified.
He added that the armed forces were, in its own way, indulged in “belt-tightening” and fulfilling its requirements through “self-reliance instead of foreign procurement”.
When asked whether the army would show flexibility regarding talks with the PTI chief, DG Chaudhry said that all political stakeholders should hold dialogue for national unity that would strengthen democratic values and stabilise the economy.
“For us, all the haqeeqi political parties are respectful and equal,” he said.
“If you read our May 15 press release, it has been said there that the army wants all political stakeholders to sit together and create a national consensus. We said this on May 15 after May 9, so that confidence is built in people, there is economic stability and values of democracy are strengthened in Pakistan,” he said.
The military spokesperson highlighted that the Pakistan Army supported all such processes and would continue to do so.
On a question regarding the politicians from the PTI leaving the party after May 9 events, DG Chaudhry said that leaving a party or not was “a personal matter” and investigation into the violence would continue.
“When you want to stop something so there are many ways to do it. It is not necessary to stop it at an extreme level. When we say institutional inquiry was done, it was seen [where] there was unintentional negligence or any lacking, so it was reviewed. It is not necessary to opt for an extreme measure,” he said.
