Role in Panama probe to be transparent: Army

Corps commanders conference pledges the institution shall play its due role in legal manner and come up to court’s expectation through its members in JIT; reviews progress of Operation Raddul Fasaad

RAWALPINDI: The corps commanders conference on Monday maintained that in the light of the decision of the Supreme Court (SC), the Pakistan Army through its members would play its role in proceedings of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on the Panama case.

“The forum pledged that the institution through its members in JIT shall play its due in legal and transparent manner fulfilling confidence reposed by the Apex Court of Pakistan,” the ISPR, while giving details of the corps commanders conference, said.

Chief of the Army General Qamar Javed Bajwa presided over the meeting, which also discussed progress of the Raddul Fassad operation in detail. The ISPR said that the corps commanders conference discussed in detail the decision of the Supreme Court with special reference to the JIT. The conference regretted the remarks against the head of an institution, making it clear that integrity of the armed forces and their officials was above board and the same should not be doubted.

It may be pointed out here that Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and PPP leader Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, while criticising the SC decision on April 20 regarding the formation of JIT, had pointed a finger at the head of the premier intelligence agency.

Director General ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor immediately reacted to the comments through his tweet: “Comments by a few regarding head of a premier intelligence agency are baseless, misleading and unwarranted.”

He further maintained that integrity of armed forces is beyond reproach. The Supreme Court in its decision had ordered the constitution of a six-member JIT comprising representatives from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Military Intelligence (MI), NAB, SECP, and State Bank to inquire into the PanamaPapers allegations. It would be headed by FIA's Additional Director General. Director Generals of ISI and MI would nominate representatives from the two intelligence agencies. It also reviewed the progress of Operation Raddul Fassaad.