IT is now a foregone conclusion that the State means business and has firm intention to take strong action against those involved in dastardly attacks on military installations and personnel on 09 May which has now been officially declared as the ‘black day’. This has become crystal clear from the strongly worded statement issued after a crucial meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), which met in Islamabad on Tuesday with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair. The forum expressed serious concern over the ‘well-thought-out’ plan to attack military installations and facilities and vowed to hold trial of those involved in the heinous crime under Pakistan Army Act, Official Secrets Act and other laws under the Constitution.
Previously, it was an institutional decision of the Pakistan Army to hold trial of those involved in such acts in military courts but its endorsement by the NSC has made it a national resolve, giving the move required legitimacy in the backdrop of concerns being expressed by some circles that are sensitive to human rights issues. Experts point out that even the Army Chief was empowered to take a decision to try such criminals under the Army Act but he thought it appropriate to take on board the entire leadership of his institution and the collective decision taken at the Corps Commanders’ Conference also strongly rebutted the propaganda campaign unleashed by some vested interests about any division or split in the Army on whatsoever basis. And now the NSC too has endorsed the decision of the CCC that all the abettors, planners, facilitators and those directly involved in acts of arson, attacks on military installations and public buildings should be tried under the Army Act, Official Secret Act and other laws as the country’s Constitution. The meeting expressed the resolve that desecration and military installations and public property were intolerable and pledged to bring all the culprits to task, adding there would be no relaxation for those involved in attacks on military installations carried out under an agenda. It is quite obvious that the decision is aimed at upholding dignity and respect of the national institution in the backdrop of continuing verbal and physical attacks against its symbols and personnel. Arrests of a number of people involved in attacks on 09 May have already been made, police and other agencies are busy gathering evidence against them and it would be now a matter of weeks or months that the culprits would be behind bars and the process would send a strong message to all those who harbour ideas of maligning or attacking the national institutions. Addressing the NSC forum, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, once again, expressed the resolve of the Government to apprehend all those involved in attacks on 09 May within 72 hours, showing the urgency with which the State intends to proceed against them. It is quite obvious that both the arrests and prosecutions would take place on the basis of widely available evidence and political affiliations of the culprits would also be identified during the investigation and trial. However, it seems the PTI has decided to abandon those involved in these attacks as the party Chairman Imran Khan alleged on Tuesday that people who had guns and committed arson during the 09 May protests against his arrest were “planted amongst the demonstrators”. This means the PTI would not own them and they would be left at the mercy of circumstances and this would be a lesson of life for them. The NSC also took stock of the internal and external security challenges and stressed the need of national unity and integrity in the wake of geo-strategic situation, international political environment and policies of anti-state elements to destabilize the country. It emphasized on resolving all the political issues through dialogue as per democratic norms instead of indulging in confrontation. Latest statements from the leadership of the PTI also refer to the need to sort out differences through dialogue and discussion. However, one of the coalition leaders — PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari — has categorically stated that dialogue with PTI is possible only after it apologizes to the nation on what the party did on 09 May. The business community has already warned that the political uncertainty threatens economic survival and, therefore, it is time all stakeholders commit themselves to the dialogue process to sort out differences amicably for the sake of the country.
