In a significant development, Pakistan’s Defense Secretary, Lt Gen (R) Hamood uz-Zaman Khan, has instructed the heads of all three armed forces to investigate the conduct of their personnel during a major 2017 protest. This marks the first official action by the military following the Supreme Court’s orders to probe the Faizabad sit-in staged by the religious party Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).
Khan, the administrative head of Pakistan’s Armed Forces, sent separate letters to Army Chief Gen Syed Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber, and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf, requesting reviews of their officers’ roles in the incident. He will submit his report to the Faizabad inquiry commission once he receives responses from the service chiefs.
The inquiry commission, established by the caretaker government in November 2023, is tasked with determining responsibility for the protest and its aftermath. Several high-ranking officials, including former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, have already appeared before the commission.
The Faizabad sit-in, sparked by changes to the lawmakers’ oath, caused significant political turmoil in 2017. The TLP, protesting the perceived insult to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), staged a protracted demonstration that ultimately led to the sacking of then-Law Minister Zahid Hamid. The Supreme Court later took suo motu notice of the incident.
Khan’s directive and the ongoing inquiry mark a fresh chapter in the saga of the Faizabad sit-in. With the Supreme Court demanding answers and the military now directly involved, this case continues to be closely watched across Pakistan.
January 11,2024
Source: The Nation