On Monday, the top military officials hinted clearly that they could proceed against the former Prime Minister Imran Khan under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act for the ransacking of military installations following his arrest on May 9.
Last week, PTI supporters carried out an unprecedented act of vandalism by attacking and causing damage to the historic Corps’ Commander’s House, which was originally known as Jinnah House and had served as the residence of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of the nation. The attack occurred just hours after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested PTI chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case on Tuesday.
Protester Shake Pakistan After Imran Khan’s Arrest
The pictures and videos of the historic building showed that the protesters had burnt all the rooms, halls, drawing rooms, living rooms, walls, curtains, doors, wooden ceilings, and even the floor.
The 130-year-old building of the Military Engineering Services, which was situated a few furlongs away from the Corps’ Commander House, was set on fire, resulting in the destruction of valuable records, furniture, and vehicles.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir presided over a Special Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) meeting at GHQ in Rawalpindi to discuss the situation that had arisen due to the violent protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the arrest of its chairman Imran Khan.
The meeting occurred before the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting scheduled for Tuesday, where the final decision would be taken on how to proceed against the former prime minister and his other party leaders for their alleged involvement in instigating their supporters to attack the GHQ, ransack the residence of Lahore Corps Commander’s residence, and other military installations..
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released an unusually detailed statement, stating that the forum had comprehensively assessed the law and order situation in the past few days, which had been created to achieve vested political interests.
During the briefing, the CCC was informed that a well-coordinated arson plan had been executed, involving the desecration of martyrs’ pictures and monuments, burning down of historical buildings, and vandalism of military installations, with the intention of maligning the institution and provoking an impulsive reaction
The forum strongly condemned the politically motivated and instigated incidents against military installations and public and private properties.
The ISPR stated that the commanders had communicated the anguish and sentiments of the rank and file of the army regarding these unfortunate and unacceptable incidents.
The military’s media wing noted that based on the irrefutable evidence collected so far, the armed forces were well aware of the planners, instigators, abettors, and perpetrators of these attacks. They further stated that any attempts to create distortions in this regard would be absolutely futile.
The forum firmly resolved that those involved in these heinous crimes against military installations, personnel, and equipment would be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secret Act.
The forum resolved that under no circumstances would restraint be exercised against perpetrators, spoilers, and violators who attack military installations and
Also read: Army Chief Pledges to Hold Perpetrators of May 9 Vandalism Accountable
CCC also expressed concern that the externally sponsored and internally facilitated orchestrated propaganda warfare was meant to create fissures between the armed forces and the people of Pakistan, as well as within the rank and file of the armed forces.
The statement added that with the support of the people of Pakistan, who have always stood with the armed forces during all odds, the vicious propaganda of such inimical forces will be defeated.
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, Insha Allah,” the statement added.
ISPR; the participants of the meeting paid rich tribute to the martyrs who had laid their lives in defense of the motherland while fighting the menace of terrorism. The security forces’ successful counter-terrorism and intelligence-based operations in the country, particularly the valiant response given by the troops in the Muslim Bagh attack, were acknowledged by the forum. The brave sons of the soil’s supreme sacrifices were also paid rich tribute.
The prevailing internal and external security environment was briefed to the forum in detail.
