ISLAMABAD: Six weeks after protests broke out in Pakistan over the arrest of former PM Imran Khan, three army officers, including former commander of the Lahore-headquartered 4 Corps Lt Gen Salman Fayyaz Ghani, were sacked and strict disciplinary action was taken against three Major Generals and seven Brigadiers for their failure to protect key military installations.
Supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party vandalised over 20 military installations and government buildings, including the Lahore Corps Commander House, Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked.
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Ahmed Sharif said the army conducted two probes into the protests by PTI supporters and took action, which was part of the “self-accountability process”.
Sources said Lt Gen Ghani was the senior-most to be removed from his job. The Tribune had on May 24 reported that the officer had been removed from the command and was likely to face action.
After Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on May 9, his supporters went on the rampage. Several army establishments were attacked by lathi-wielding protesters even as armed sentry guards at the gates did not react.
“Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against those who failed to keep the security and honour of garrisons, military installations, Jinnah House (HQ of 4 Corps Lahore) and general headquarters intact,” Sharif said.
All non-military suspects were being tried in military courts and had complete legal rights, including the right of appeal in the high courts and the supreme court. Sharif said, “The events of May 9 have proven that what the enemies couldn’t do in 76 years, a bunch of miscreants and their facilitators did.” He dubbed the incident “a conspiracy against Pakistan”.
Meanwhile, Imran and his wife Bushra Bibi appeared in a court in Lahore on Monday. Khan faces over 100 legal cases.