Pakistan army general among three senior officers sacked over violence caused by Imran Khan’s party
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In May, thousands of Khan’s supporters rampaged through military installations across the country and vandalised them.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s army has sacked three senior officers, including a lieutenant-general, for failing to avert last month’s violent attacks on military assets protest against his arrest,
It was a rare announcement, as the army usually doesn’t make public announcements on internal inquiries and their findings.
At least 102 people are currently being tried in military courts in relation to the violence, Major-General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a press conference in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
He gave no details regarding how many of them were civilians or military officials. He also declined to name the senior officers who had been fired.
Human rights groups have raised concerns over the military trials of civilians, which they say can’t ensure a fair defence. They have also been challenged in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
In May, thousands of Khan’s supporters rampaged through military installations across the country and vandalised them, including an air base, several military garrisons, the house of a general and the army’s headquarters.
Over 5,000 of them were arrested, though most were later released.
“We had to determine why security was breached at army installations,” Maj-Gen Chaudhry said. “We had to find out what had gone wrong.”
He said two departmental inquiries were conducted, headed by major generals, and punishments were given according to their recommendations.
Strict departmental action has also been taken against another 15 army officers, including major generals and brigadiers, Maj-Gen Chaudhry said, as part of the army’s internal accountability.
He did not specify what action had been taken.
Maj-Gen Chaudhry added that several relatives, including women, of senior army officers were also facing trials for allegedly being facilitators of the violence.
The army has said the arson was pre-planned by Khan’s party leaders, and have named him in at least two criminal cases as abetting the violence.
Khan, 70, a cricket hero turned politician, has faced a slew of cases since he was ousted from power in a vote of no confidence last year, which he blames on the military’s generals, a charge the army denies.
Khan’s party has faced a massive crackdown since the May 9 violence. REUTERS
