File photo of Gen. Asim Munir chairing a Corps Commanders Conference at GHQ
Pakistan’s senior military leadership on Monday vowed to prosecute any rioters involved in attacks on military installations, equipment and personnel through all relevant laws of the country, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.
In a statement issued after a Special Corps Commanders Conference chaired by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen. Asim Munir at the General Headquarters, the participants also vowed that no restraint would be exercised against any perpetrators, spoilers and violators who targeted military installations and setups under any circumstances.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the forum was briefed on the events of May 9—which the military’s media wing had earlier described as a “dark day” in Pakistan’s history—and informed that a well-coordinated arson plan involving the desecration of pictures of shuhada, monuments, setting fire to historical buildings and vandalism of military installations was executed to malign the Army and provoke it towards giving an impulsive reaction. “The forum condemned, in the strongest possible sense, these politically motivated and instigated incidents against military installations and public/private properties,” it stressed.
“The commanders also communicated the anguish and sentiments of the rank and file of the Army on these unfortunate and unacceptable incidents,” it said, adding that the armed forces had “irrefutable evidence” of the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of these attacks. “Attempts to create distortions in this regard are absolutely futile,” it warned in a seeming reference to recent statements from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership distancing itself from the riots.
On May 9, after the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan in a corruption case, the party’s supporters and leaders staged demonstrations nationwide, with the protests turning violent in several cities. The rioters specifically targeted military buildings and installations, while also damaging public and private property, and even setting alight ambulances and, in Peshawar, an animal market and the Radio Pakistan building.
During the meeting, read the ISPR statement, the forum also expressed concern over “externally sponsored and internally facilitated, orchestrated propaganda warfare, unleashed against the Army leadership, meant to create fissures between armed forces and people of Pakistan, and within rank and file of the armed forces.” It emphasized that such “vicious propaganda” of inimical forces would be defeated with the support of the people of Pakistan, who had always stood with the armed forces during all odds. “The forum stressed the need of strict implementation of relevant laws to penalize the violators of the social media rules and regulations,” it added.
The meeting, per the ISPR, also emphasized the need to evolve national consensus amongst all stakeholders to address ongoing political instability at priority and 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,” it said.
The CCC meeting further paid rich tribute to the shuhada who have laid down their lives in defense of Pakistan while fighting terrorism. Acknowledging the successful counterterrorism and intelligence-based operations in the country by security forces, especially the valiant response given by troops in the Muslim Bagh attack, it paid rich tribute to the supreme sacrifices made by brave sons of the soil. “The forum was briefed in detail about the prevailing internal and external security environment,” read the ISPR statement, adding that a comprehensive review had been undertaken of the law and order situation resulting from attempts to achieve vested political interests.
According to security forces, thousands of PTI supporters and leaders have been taken into custody for their alleged role in the attacks on military buildings and installations based on available CCTV footage. However, despite this evidence, the PTI has sought to distance itself from the rioters, with former prime minister Khan alleging in a speech that the attacks were perpetrated by “agencies men” and not his followers.