PUNJAB AUTHORISES ARMED COUNSEL PROSECUTION OF PROTESTANTS, REJECTING ORDERS OF THE SUPREME COURT
1. LAHORE:
Just one day after the army commander hinted at taking necessary action, the caretaker government of Punjab granted authority to commence legal proceedings against protestors involved in destruction and mob attacks on military sites using rules controlling the army. Several thousand furious fans of the former prime minister Imran Khan rioted for two days in towns around the country after his brief incarceration on Tuesday, setting fire to buildings and blocking roads Police and hospitals reported at least nine deaths as a result of the unrest. More than 3,000 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) backers and activists have been arrested, primarily in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while hundreds of security officials have been injured.
2. ISPR
Since last Wednesday, the military has been present in the capital as well as two provinces. On Tuesday, the interim government.
whose 90-day tenure ended at midnight on Sunday, made a judgment that goes against a Supreme Court judgment from 2020 that said a civilian could not be punished under the Army Act, 1952 for offenses related to civil proceedings.
The court ruled that “if a civil offense is committed, whether by a soldier or a common citizen, the case will be tried in a criminal court,” adding that a criminal court reserves the authority to prohibit court-martials in such cases.
Protesters who commit “heinous crimes against the military installations” will be brought to justice under the Army Act and the Official Secrets Act, 1923, the military’s highest command said Monday at a meeting led by Army Chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported after the meeting that “no restraint” would be shown towards “perpetrators, spoilers, and violators” who attacked military sites and structures. Consequently, on Tuesday, police were instructed to swiftly arrest the suspects during a meeting presided over by Mohsin Naqvi, the temporary chief minister. At the discussion, participants discussed how to improve cooperation between different security agencies in order to more quickly and accurately identify those responsible for these terrorist attacks. Naqvi reassured the group that security material was being thoroughly analyzed to identify the perpetrators so that they could be swiftly apprehended.
3. Corps Commanders Conference
Today at GHQ, under the direction of General Syed Asim Munir, COAS, a Special Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) was held. Participants paid a heartfelt homage to the Shuhada.
who have sacrificed their lives protecting their homeland from the threat of terrorism. The forum paid sincere respect to the supreme sacrifices made by the courageous sons of the soil.
It recognized the successful Counter Terrorism and Intelligence Based Operations in the country by Security Forces. A comprehensive briefing on the current internal and external security environment was given to the forum.
4. inventory situation
The Law and Order situation over the past few days has been manipulated for political gain, and the Forum has taken a thorough inventory of the situation.
Briefing the forum, the arsonists said they had desecrated Shuhada portraits and monuments, burned down historical buildings, and vandalized military sites in an effort to tarnish the institution and drive it into an impulsive reaction.
The forum issued a strong condemnation of these politically motivated and sponsored attacks on public and private property, including military bases. The Commanders also relayed the rank-and-file soldiers’ distress and outrage at these shocking occurrences.
Attempts to generate distortions in this respect are completely fruitless, as the Armed Forces are already aware of the designers, instigators, abettors, and perpetrators of these acts based on the indisputable evidence acquired so far. The Forum made it clear that it is committed to seeing that those responsible for the attacks on
Pakistani military installations and personnel/equipment face trials under the appropriate laws of Pakistan, such as the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secret Act. The Forum has decided that those who target military stations and arrangements under any circumstances would be met with zero tolerance.
