COAS action on Karachi incident: Bilawal accepts, Nawaz rejects

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Most political leaders Tuesday welcomed the court of inquiry recommendations about removal of the Rangers and ISI officials responsible for the Karachi incident, though PML-N supremo rejected it outright.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif termed the report of the inquiry carried out by the army into the events leading up to and following the arrest of his son-in-law Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar in Karachi a “cover-up”, saying the report was “rejected”.

“Inquiry report on Karachi incident is a cover-up scapegoating juniors and shielding the real culprits. Report “Rejected”,” the ousted premier tweeted.

However, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari welcomed the court of inquiry decision to remove the Rangers and ISI officials involved in the alleged Sindh IG kidnapping incident.

“To take action against those found guilty of an act is the democratic way,” he said during a jalsa in Nagar (Gilgit). “Such actions enhance the prestige of institutions. I hope we will take this initiative forward and join hands to work together,” he said.

“Such processes should continue for the sake of democracy as this step will fortify the prestige of institutions. This is just the beginning; this process must continue for the sake of democracy,” he said.

Information Minister Shibli Faraz appreciated the army chief for initiating the inquiry and implementing the recommendations. Earlier, he had termed the incident a political gimmick by the PPP, but on Tuesday he appreciated the army chief for initiating the inquiry and implementing the recommendations.

“We accept what happened. Since the issue was concerning Quaid-e-Azam, they [security officials] acted emotionally which I feel they should not have.

“But the ISPR has given its decision and we welcome it,” he added.

When reminded that the federal government hadn’t taken it seriously, Faraz said this was a provincial issue. “The federal government had nothing to do with it. The Sindh government and institutions that operate in the province were responsible for it. “In our experience, the Sindh government politicises everything – be it the coronavirus or the wheat crisis. Hence we had our reservations,” he stressed. “Now that the ISPR has issued the findings, the Sindh IG Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar should also investigate the ‘mutiny’ in police.”

“The military side has done its job and now the civilian side is needed to set an example with regards to how the police offices resorted to a sort of mutiny and fix the responsibility how it all happened and why the FIR was not registered initially by the concerned SHO, which led to a reaction from public on what happened at the mazar of the Quaid and pressure came on the Rangers, and they approached the IG to sort out this issue, otherwise, it would get further complicated,” he said while replying to questions from newsmen.

The minister contended that the Sindh government should ensure that there is discipline everywhere while the military had removed two of its officers after the inquiry report was furnished within time. “And we value the decision by the discipline force,” he said. The minister said that the Sindh government was also responsible for what happened due to which all the officers of Sindh quit their jobs. Now it is up to the provincial government to implement the law and see the things on its side, which had happened. We will also look at it to create a sense that there is discipline and accountability everywhere.” Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi asked in a tweet whether after the military’s action, the Sindh government will “take any action against police officers involved in the ‘mutiny’ of submitting [en masse] resignations or will [it] sleep as usual?”

He said it was high time for police reforms in Sindh, “but I expect nothing from the criminals ruling Sindh as they have been historically involved in protecting criminals & looting public money!”

Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, spokesman for Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, also appreciated the actions taken by the GHQ. Secretary Information PPP Parliamentarians Dr Nafisa Shah said the inquiry report was success of brave stance of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. She said Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa had ordered the inquiry on the demand of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. “If the Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari did not take the brave stance then the responsible could not be punished,” she said.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, the spokesperson for the opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance, termed the development in the inquiry “a victory of the democratic forces”. In a statement, he said the PDM had demanded that the inquiry be made conclusive. “Now those responsible should be brought to justice. The PDM will hold further consultations in this regard,” he added.