Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Asif Ghafoor on Thursday blasted the detailed judgement in the high treason case against former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, stating that the fears of the armed forces had proven true.
“We direct the Law Enforcement Agencies to strive their level best to apprehend the fugitive/convict [Musharraf] and to ensure that the punishment is inflicted as per law and if found dead, his corpse be dragged to the D-Chowk, Islamabad and hanged for three days,” one of the judges, Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), had stated in the verdict issued earlier in the day.
Reacting to the verdict, the military spokesperson said that the words used in the written order “transgressed humanity, religion, culture and any other values”.
“Pakistan Army is a responsible institution and its soldiers have taken an oath to protect the country. For the armed forces, the country comes first, and institutions later,” Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said as he addressed a short press conference hours after the detailed verdict was issued by the special court trying the ex-army chief for treason.
“We will not let this stability be reversed under any circumstances,” he said, adding that the military knew how to defend the institution’s integrity, and would foil any attempts by external or internal enemies to destabilise the country.
“We have been fighting conventional wars, then sub-conventional wars and now, we are facing a hybrid war,” he said. “We know the nature of this war and how to fight it.”
The DG ISPR said that efforts were being made to weaken Pakistan externally. He said that some elements were trying to destabilise the country by making people fight with one another. “Some people are dreaming that they can defeat Pakistan. This will not happen. If we know about the threat, then our response is also in place.”
He said that the prime minister (PM) and army chief had spoken in detail over the verdict, and the government would soon inform the nation about the decisions taken by the two.
“The armed forces are not an institution, but are like a family,” Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said.
REFERENCE AGAINST SETH:
Meanwhile, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Anwar Mansoor Khan has strongly condemned the detailed verdict of the special court and said that the government would take action against the judge who proposed public hanging.
Terming the judgement as “illegal, unconstitutional and immoral”, he said that an action would be taken against the judges concerned under Article 209 of the constitution.
“I will take steps for declaring the verdict null and void after returning from Istanbul. This matter will be sent to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) of Pakistan for holding an inquiry against the judge,” the AGP said while talking to ARY News.
He added that the verdict was seemingly given on the basis of personal enmity and a legal plea would be filed to nullify the verdict in accordance with the law. “It [the verdict] has damaged the reputation of the armed forces as it is an apparent attack against the institution.”
“A person must not be allowed to continue to perform their duties as a judge when they are mentally ill. This position is not for a person who gives verdicts against the constitution, law and the religion,” he maintained.
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