Salahuddin Haider
ARMY chief General Qamar Bajwa by proceeding against his own people in Rangers and ISI was indeed laudatory, for he set an example for politicians and all others to emulate and enforce discipline in their ranks, have some respect for law, morality. Not only that he also ordered enquiry under commander 5th corps Lt-General Humayun Aziz which submitted its report within shortest possible time which again was praiseworthy.
The report, part of which was released by ISPR chief earlier this week showed that the army cared for public opinion. That too was appreciated. In short the chief of army staff did a national duty. However the unfortunate incident at the mausoleum of the father of the nation invited country-wide condemnation could not have gone unnoticed.
The report took serious note of the fact that two of army officers, on deputation with Rangers and the ISI, were removed from their duties, and a further action was promised against them at the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, called publicly as GHQ.
All this is really good but surprisingly a very important factor was missing—mention of hooliganism done at the tomb by Maryam’s husband Capt. Safdar Awan and others.
The raised slogans of Nawaz Shariff Zindabad, and down with Imran Khan government, not there. Why? Answer to this question perhaps may be available when complete text of the report is published.
The PML-N made it an issue, and tried to mislead the public that others too have been staging demonstrations and raising slogans at the Mazare Quaid. This is just the half truth. Politiical parties, their workers have been raising slogans but outside the premises of the tomb whose sanctity had been jealously guarded for decades. To draw a parallel between earlier incidents, and the one took place s hours before the Pakistan Democratic Movement rally at the garden far from the tomb itself, was a bare excuse to satisfy the public anger against such ugly happening.
What was even more surprising was the fact that Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Shah was never “kidnapped” as had been alleged by PML(N) leaders. He was taken to sector commanders’ office of the Sindh Rangers by two of the officers visiting his home. There was no kidnappig. The IG police drove with the officers in his own car.
Also the question as to why the report against Capt Safdar was deleted later from official reord, needs explanation. The Sindh government too has ordered enquiry into the matter, and according to spokesman Murtaza Wahab, its report will be finalized by Novembeer 21 and after consultation with the federal government, further action on it will be decided. But General Bajwa has done his duty. Htaht alone is merits appreciation.
