Ex-servicemen condemns outcry against Army by politicians

Lahore: The Pakistan Ex-servicemen Association (PESA) on Wednesday said latest outburst against the Army and its leadership by prominent leaders of some of the major political parties is highly condemnable.

The public threats to review their stand about solidarity of Pakistan and even start countrywide destructive agitation are grave violation of the Constitution. These threats are coming at a time when India is also threatening ‘surgical’ strikes in Pakistan, are the most irresponsible acts, said members of the PESA in an urgently called meeting headed by its President Lt. Gen. (retd) Ali Kuli Khan.

Vice Admiral Ahmad Tasnim. Air Marshal Masood Akhtar, Lt Gen Naeem Akbar, Maj Gen Sabih Bikhari, Brig Mian Mahmud, Salim Nawaz Gandapur, Brig Abdus Salam Akhtar, Nawaz Ali, Brig Simon Sharaf and Brig Masud ul Hassan were also present on the occasion.

They said that the latest anti Army outburst is based on the report presented by DG Rangers to the Apex Committee about situation of law and order in Karachi.

The Apex Committee included Governor and Chief Minister, other high officials of the provincial government and senior police officers.

If the provincial government was not happy with that report, they should have challenged the DG at that time or ordered for a high level of judicial investigation, they said.

Creating chaos in the country while trying to politicise a report by DG Rangers at a time when it is at war against terrorism, cannot be called a patriotic act.

Politician should abstain from threatening important institutions which are sacrificing their lives to keep masses safe, they said.

Members also condemned anti Army statements of some of the prominent Pakistani journalists on Indian TV. Their controversial statements on liberation of parts of Kashmir in 1948 without referring to Indian invasion of the states of Junagarh, Manawadar, Mangrol and Hyderabad besides Sikkim and Goa are motivated and one-sided.