Pakistani General’s son convicted of inciting treason in Army
Karachi : A military court has convicted the son of a retired major general of Pakistan Army to five years prison term for trying to foment anarchy in the army by writing a letter critical of extension given to COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa and asking for his resignation, reported BBC Urdu Service on its web page.
Citing the petition of Askari’s father Maj Gen (R) Zafar Mehdi Askari in the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, the BBC story reports that Hassan Askari, a computer engineer by profession, was convicted under Section 131 of Pakistan Penal Code for criticising Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension in a letter to him, by the Field General Court Martial in Gujranwala Cantt.
Askari was defended by a military officer deputed by the military court. The trial was conducted in July and he was subsequently shifted to the high security prison in Sahiwal. The Section 131 of Pakistan Penal Code covers inciting army officers to treason.
The FIR charges Askari of criticising the army’s top command and senior officers to spread anarchy in the army at the behest of external enemies. The father’s petition citing difficulties in meeting son at the Sahiwal Jail had solicited the help of the Federal Ministry of Human Rights in shifting Askari to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail as his parents were old and sick, especially his mother who requires dialysis thrice a week.
According to Gen Mehdi Askari, the Prisons Department was also requested to help in transferring the prisoner to Adiala Jail but they did not respond to the request. He also cited difficulties in meeting his son, claiming they have only been able to meet him once. The LHC, Rawalpindi Bench, issued notices to Field General Court Martial and other relevant officers.
Earlier in Jan, 2021, the case was heard by the Islamabad High Court which directed holding the treason trial in camera. The question as to whether a civilian can be tried by the military court was referred by the Islamabad High Court to be adjudicated by the military authorities.
