Pakistan has long been compared to the Prussian empire – because in both cases the army had a state instead of the reverse. For over seven decades the Pakistan has remained the supreme institution in the country and even though it has undertaken three coups and is responsible for the economic and political ills facing the country, it has never faced accountability. It is also rare for the army to publicly name and shame any of its officers.
In this context the recent press conference by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif on June 27 where he announced that three army officers, including a lieutenant general, were sacked from their jobs as a part of the military’s “self-accountability process” into the events of May 9, is revealing.
According to Maj-Gen Sharif the army completed a process of “self-accountability” led by officers with the rank of major general into the events of May 9. “After a deliberate and detailed accountability process, keeping the requests of in-court of inquiries in view, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against those who failed to keep the security and honour of garrisons, military installations, Jinnah House and General Headquarters intact. Three officers, including a lieutenant-general, have been removed from their jobs. Strict disciplinary proceedings against officers, including three major generals and seven brigadiers, have been completed.”
The DG ISPR also stated The DG ISPR said that accountability was being carried out without discrimination, irrespective of rank or social status. “As of now, a granddaughter of a retired four-star general, son-in-law of a retired four-star star general, wife of a retired three-star general, and wife and son-in-law of a retired two-star general are facing this process of accountability on the basis of irrefutable evidence.”
As an editorial in Dawn noted, while there was no direct mention of Imran Khan and his party in the two and a half hour long statement by DG ISPR, “there was little doubt whom the DG ISPR was addressing when he stated that the military believes that, currently, the ‘single biggest threat’ to Pakistan is from the “internal political instability” that has wracked the country over the past year or so.”
As the Editorial noted, “by underlining that the military had penalised its own over the May 9 ‘tragedy’, the DG ISPR seemed to make it clear that his institution believes it is time to make the civilian perpetrators pay. He defended suspects’ trials by military courts, revealing that the court martial of 102 suspects was already underway.”
With the Supreme Court currently hearing a case challenging the legality of trying civilians under military courts, we will wait to see how the army reacts to any opposition by the judiciary.
