RAWALPINDI: The army’s top brass on Monday vowed to bring to justice the “spoilers” involved in the violent protests and mob attacks on military installations through “trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act”.
According to a statement issued from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Army Chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir presided over the Special Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
During the huddle, the participants paid rich tribute to the martyrs, who laid their lives in defence of the motherland while fighting the “menace of terrorism”.
“The forum acknowledged the successful Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Based Operations in the country by security forces, especially the valiant response given by the troops in the Muslim Bagh attack, and paid rich tribute to the supreme sacrifices made by the brave sons of the soil,” the military’s media wing said.
It stated that the military brass was briefed in detail about the prevailing internal and external security environment.
“The forum took comprehensive stock of the law and order situation in the past few days that was created to achieve vested political interests”.
The ISPR said that the forum was briefed about a “well-coordinated arson plan involving the desecration of Shuhada pictures, and monuments, burning down of historical buildings and vandalism of military installations was executed to malign the institution and provoke it towards giving an impulsive reaction”.
The statement highlighted that the forum strongly condemned the “politically motivated and instigated incidents against military installations and public/private properties”.
“The commanders also communicated the anguish and sentiments of the rank and file of the army on these unfortunate and unacceptable incidents. Based on the irrefutable evidence collected so far, the 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 ISPR said.
“The forum expressed the resolve that those involved in the heinous crimes against military installations will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act.”
The huddle also resolved that “restraint will no longer be exercised against perpetrators, spoilers and violators who attack military installations and setups under any circumstances”.
The ISPR said that concern was shown over “externally sponsored and internally facilitated and orchestrated propaganda warfare” unleashed against the army leadership, which it stated was meant to “create fissures” between the armed forces, the people of Pakistan, and within the ranks and files of the armed forces.
“The vicious propaganda of such inimical forces will be defeated with the support of the people of Pakistan, who have always stood with the armed forces during all odds.”
The army huddle, the statement continued, stressed the need for strict implementation of relevant laws to penalise the violators of social media rules and regulations.
“The forum emphasised the need for national consensus amongst all stakeholders to address ongoing political instability as a priority so as to restore public confidence, reinvigorate economic activity and strengthen the democratic process. The forum also resolved to support all such efforts to reach this much-needed consensus.
“Forum resolved that Pakistan Army with the full support of people of Pakistan, will defeat all nefarious designs of the enemies of Pakistan,” the military’s media wing added.
The ISPR statement comes as the country recovers from the chaos that ensued after PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest from the premises of the Islamabad High Court on May 9.
The former prime minister was arrested by the National Accountability Burea with the help of the paramilitary Rangers — a development that sparked countrywide protests amid incidents of vandalism and violence.
While the protests were underway, social media was flooded with footage of a mob clashing with police in Karachi, attacking and entering the army’s head office, General Headquarters, in Rawalpindi and vandalising the official residence of a high-ranking military officer in Lahore. The ISPR referred to the day of the violence as a “black chapter”.
