Tag: army

  • VIDEO: PM says India helping Nawaz to weaken army

    VIDEO: PM says India helping Nawaz to weaken army

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif of acting on the behest of India and said that the former premier is playing a “dangerous game” by levelling allegations against the army.

    Speaking during an interview, he said that the military and the civil government departments are working within their spheres and this has led to relations that are “best in history” between them. “One shouldn’t hate the army because of the actions of a few past dictators.”

    The premier remarked that Nawaz’s speech was an attempt to weaken the relationship between the government and the Pakistan Army, which only harms the country in the end.

    “Whose interest is it that our army weakens? Our enemies,” he added, saying some “foolish liberals” were agreeing with Nawaz’s narrative.

    “Look at Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen; the entire Muslim world is ablaze [so] why are we safe? If it weren’t for our army, our country would have been in three pieces. India’s think-tanks say that they want to break Pakistan,” PM Imran said, reiterating the fact that it is the army which has saved us otherwise the country will have been disintegrated in three parts as per Indian designs.

    READ: PM says he’ll sack anyone from establishment who asks for his resignation

    The prime minister went on to say that the “military’s job is not to run the government. If a democratically elected government is performing poorly, it does not mean martial law should be imposed; it means the government should be improved”.

    He said Nawaz was creating “huge fitna (mischief)” by attacking the army. “He [Nawaz] is becoming the next Altaf Hussain,” he said. Furthermore, the prime minister said Nawaz has problems with the army because “they come to steal, and our world-class agencies detect their theft”.

    The PM stated that Nawaz had taken control of various institutions of the country during his tenure, including in the legislative and judiciary departments, but added that the PML-N supremo could never control the army.

    WATCH VIDEO:

  • Shaan hits out at those criticising Gen Asim Bajwa, Pak Army

    Ever since the assets of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s special assistants were made public, people have been questioning how Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting in honourary capacity Lt General Asim Bajwa acquired his wealth.

    Read more – ‘A son of the soil’: Mehwish Hayat, Shaan respond to Musharraf verdict

    Shaan stood up in defence of the official and said that he stands with him “for keeping the future of Pakistan secure and prosperous”. Shaan received a lot of flak for his comments following which he hit out at “bikay huway Twitterbaz (sold-out Twitterati)” for spreading paid propaganda.

    Later Shaan engaged with Twitter users and strongly defended the Pakistan Army and the PTI-led government.

    When someone suggested he leave the film industry and go fight on the border, Shaan replied: “My AK47 is my camera”.

    Ending his arguments, Shaan requested his followers to also fight against the dangers that lurk.

    This is not the first time Shaan has been embroiled in a debate on social media. Earlier, the actor had sparked controversy after he criticised the government for airing Turkish historical series Diriliş: Ertuğrul on PTV.

  • Parliament approves law allowing army men to contest elections

    Parliament approves law allowing army men to contest elections

    Egypt’s parliament on Monday approved amendments allowing active or former military personnel to run for the presidency and parliament pending the army’s approval, AFP reported.

    The legislative changes come a year after Egyptians overwhelmingly voted in favour of constitutional amendments that potentially allow President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a former army chief, to stay on until 2030.

    Since it became a modern republic, all but two of Egypt’s presidents have hailed from a military background.

    The army is highly visible in Egypt’s public life, with former top brass currently serving as ministers and heading governorates as well.

    The nationalist institution boasts a sizeable business portfolio ranging from massive construction projects to most recently producing protective masks.

    Sisi, the former general-turned-president, led the army’s overthrow of elected president Mohamed Morsi in 2013 following mass protests against the Islamist leader’s rule.

    He won his first term as president in 2014 and was re-elected in March 2018 with more than 97 percent of the vote, after standing virtually unopposed.

    The amended law also prohibits officers from divulging information during their service publicly or joining political parties without the Supreme Council of Armed Forces’ permission.

    SCAF is a military council comprised of the country’s most senior generals. It ruled Egypt following the toppling of long-time autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

    A former chief of staff of the armed forces, Sami Anan, was jailed in January 2018 after contesting the presidential elections against Sisi without the military’s explicit approval.

    He was released nearly two years later.

    A military court jailed another former soldier in December 2017 for six years for announcing his decision to enter the presidential race as a potential candidate in a video he posted on YouTube.

  • China kills 20 Indian soldiers in border clash

    China kills 20 Indian soldiers in border clash

    In an armed conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbours, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh after a “violent face-off” with Chinese troops ensued.

    According to Indian media reports, both sides “have disengaged” after 17 Indian troops were injured.

    The injured troops “exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries”, ANI reported, adding this had brought the death toll, from the earlier reported three to 20.

    According to earlier reports by Indian media, three troops, including an officer and two soldiers were among those killed near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

    “During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation,” an official statement said.

    Meanwhile, British news outlet The Telegraph, quoting Indian army sources, reported that four soldiers are currently missing and a further 32 “were handed back after being captured”.

    Indian media also reported that 40 Chinese soldiers were killed in the clash, however, the news was soon retracted.

    India and China have been locked in a standoff in the western Himalayas for weeks, though there had been no casualties on either side.

    In Beijing, Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said that Indian forces had twice crossed the border illegally on Monday and attacked Chinese personnel. He said the Chinese side had “lodged strong protests” but continued to work toward resolving the tensions between the two countries.

    According to the Hindustan Times, Beijing accused the Indian army of provoking and attacking Chinese soldiers after a border meeting to de-escalate the ongoing tension led to a “physical conflict” between the two sides. Reuters’ report suggested that Beijing warned New Delhi not to take unilateral action or stir up trouble.

    The Asian giants have rival claims to vast swathes of territory along their 3,500 kilometers Himalayan border, but the disputes have remained largely peaceful since a border war in 1962.

  • ‘Chinese president orders army to prepare for war’

    ‘Chinese president orders army to prepare for war’

    Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered his army to strengthen the training of its troops and “prepare for war”, foreign media outlets reported.

    The Chinese president said that it was important to “comprehensively strengthen the training of troops and prepare for war”, “resolutely safeguard national sovereignty” and “safeguard the overall strategic stability of the country”.

    Xi’s speech comes amid rising tensions with the United States (US) and escalating clashes with the Indian army at the Ladakh border. Both armies are said to have deployed additional troops in sensitive areas along the boundary with experts predicting a lengthy standoff.

    As per a report by ThePrint, Beijing has also increased up security on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by locating an estimated 1,200 to 1,300 troops near the Pangong Lake.

    Xi, who chairs China’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC), made the comments at a meeting of the delegation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and People’s Armed Police Force (PAPF) on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s parliament.

    He emphasised on preparing for a military struggle “…to flexibly carry out actual combat military training, and to comprehensively improve our military’s ability to carry out military missions”.

    “This epidemic prevention and control struggle is a practical test for national defence and military reform, fully embodies the effectiveness of the reform, and also puts forward new requirements for reform,” he added.

    Two days back, Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, criticised the efforts of some US politicians to fabricate “rumours” and “stigmatise” China to blame it for the pandemic.

  • Army’s tenant Monal sealed over illegal construction activities

    Army’s tenant Monal sealed over illegal construction activities

    The popular Monal restaurant located in Marghalla Hills, which now pays rent to the military for occupying its land, has been sealed by the Islamabad Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Islamabad Chief Commissioner’s Office over illegal tree cutting for expansive construction activities.

    Climate Change Ministry Media Focal Person Muhammad Saleem told reporters that the action was taken after the restaurant’s illegal activities, which were initiated by its management a few days ago, were brought to PM’s Adviser Malik Amin Aslam’s notice.

    “Taking serious notice of the illegal activities, Malik Amin directed EPA to take legal action against the culprits,” he told the media, adding that besides sealing off the property, an FIR had also been lodged against the offenders at the Islamabad Secretariat Police Station.

    Regretting the significant loss of tree cover and land degradation in the restaurant’s vicinity, the Climate Change Ministry’s focal person said that he was thankful to citizens for sharing pictures of the land levelled area achieved after the massive cutting of trees on social media until it went viral.

    “Resultantly, the district administration conducted a raid on Tuesday evening and it was observed that images of destruction activities which had appeared in social media were authentic. During the raid, two persons namely Muhammad Sagheer and Muhammad Naeem were arrested on the spot whereas an FIR, NO 224/20, has been lodged in Police Station Kohsar, F/7,” he added.

    Further, Malik Amin, along with the Climate Change Ministry’s higher authorities will visit the damaged site on Wednesday and take stock of the damage Monal restaurant has caused to the land and trees.

    The ministry’s media focal person also said that tree plantation activities will be carried out by him in support with the local forest officials to rehabilitate the damaged land.

    It may be mentioned here that a case regarding stone crushing and other activities in Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) was also brought before the Supreme Court (SC) wherein it was decided that all construction activities, private and commercial, would be ordered to immediately halt operations. However, a copy of the order is yet to be issued.

    ARMY STARTS GETTING RENT FROM MONAL:

    Amid the silence of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) over Pakistan Army’s land ownership claim at Margalla Hills, Monal in January started paying a monthly rent to Remount Veterinary & Farms Directorate (RV&F) General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi.

    According to a local news outlet, the leaseholder of Monal Restaurant has paid Rs484,008 as arrears of rental payment for September, Rs1,300,000 as rental of November, and Rs910,000 as rental of December 2019 to the RV&F GHQ.

    The building in which the restaurant is operating was constructed by the CDA and leased to Luqman Ali Afzal in 2006. It is now an iconic eatery of the federal capital.

    The city managers, while establishing this amenity by expending huge amount from public exchequer, never thought that the subject land does not belong to CDA as it was enjoying its sole ownership and absolute possession since 1961.

    However, tables turned around in 2016, when the army came forward with the claim that the said land was once allotted to Military Farms Rawalpindi in 1910 by then government of Punjab for the production of hay for army animals.

    To settle the over a century-old claim of the ownership of 8,603 acres of military land in the area, a meeting was held on November 8, 2016, under the chair of then defence minister.

    According to GHQ’s letters, it was decided in the said meeting to revert back the subject land to the owner, RV&F, after a joint survey by the ministry and CDA.

    Later, a survey was conducted on the request of the RV&F directorate to demarcate the military grassland at Margalla Hills, following which the demarcation was started in February 2017 and completed in May 2017. In it, a total of 8655.62 acres of land was demarcated as military grassland.

    In the light of said demarcation, the RV&F directorate conveyed the leaseholder of Monal that his building came inside 8655.62 acres land and he was asked to provide lease documents in addition to the payment of arrears and monthly rents to RV&F directorate instead of CDA.

    MONAL BUILT ON ARMY’S LAND:

    In November, a CDA official had told a parliamentary committee that the capital’s famous Monal Restaurant was built on military land and the army wanted it back.

    According to another local news outlet, Dr Shahid Mahmood had told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change that 15 years ago, the CDA “did not know it was building the restaurant on military grasslands until the army started claiming it”.

    The committee was told that the 22,000 acres of land — that are now a part of the Margalla Hills National Park — were actually owned by the Punjab government.

    Around 5,500 acres of the said land was allocated to the army, he said, although the exact year the allocation was made, was not stated. The CDA now owns 16,500 acres.

    The latest survey conducted by the authority revealed that the land allotted to the army is right in the centre of the national park, and Monal has been built on it.

  • Punjab govt gives 25-acre army land to 47 civilian officials

    Punjab govt gives 25-acre army land to 47 civilian officials

    An approval has been given for the allotment of up to 25 acres of state land, which was meant for the families of the martyred soldiers and war veterans under the Army Welfare Scheme (AWS), to 47 civilian government officials instead.

    According to Dawn, the Punjab government has made the allotments without legal sanction on the orders of former military ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf in contravention of merit and law. The report also quoted two officials at the Chief Minister’s (CM) Secretariat also confirming this on the condition of anonymity.

    The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had cancelled the allotment, which had been ordered by the former dictator during January 2004 and May 2008 in alleged violation of the Colonisation of Government Land (Punjab) Act 1912 and the allotment policy framed in 1962 under it for the AWS.

    After the cancellation order, the PML-N government had also rejected multiple summaries put up to former CM Shehbaz Sharif for ratification. The land branch of General Headquarters (GHQ) had first approached the Punjab government in April 2009 to not revoke the allotments. The military was of the opinion that the “allotments made to the civil officials may be treated as closed chapter” and offered to work out allotment modalities for the future in consultation with the provincial government and the provincial Board of Revenue (BoR). However, Shehbaz had not obliged.

    CM Secretariat reportedly said that around 837 acres of the AWS land had been allotted to civilian officials without consulting the provincial government. The land had been allotted in districts of Bahawalpur, Pakpattan, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad.

    The former CM rejected another summary prepared by the BoR in February 2012, as the then Punjab chief secretary noted that it didn’t augur well for the civil service and the overall good governance.

    According to the fresh summary approved by the Usman Buzdar government to restore and validate the allotments, the Shehbaz government had cancelled the allotments and retrieved the allotted land from the beneficiary officials in 2010, because the land was actually allotted to the military for a specific purpose under the law.

    Those who had sold the land allotted to them were told by the Shehbaz administration to deposit the sale proceeds to the provincial treasury. The provincial officials who had benefited from the GHQ’s decision were suspended while the matter of the three DMG officers who got the land was sent to the Establishment Division. Apparently, the Establishment Division did not take any action against them.

    The prominent beneficiaries include DMG officers – Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera (currently the federal cabinet division secretary), Dr Faisal Zahoor and Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah. Ex-PCS officials who will benefit from the government decision include Mohammad Zahid Ikram, Sikandar Ali Bokhari, Syed Najaf Abbas Bokhari, Malik Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Ashraf Yousufi, Abdul Ghafoor Virk, Dur Mohammad Khan, Irshad Mohyuddin, Syed Zahid Hussain Jilani, Mohammad Ashfaq, Mohammad Akram Bhatti, Amir Karim Khan (currently PSO to CM Buzdar), Mushtaq Ahmed Anjum and Mohammad Azam Khan. The remaining officials mostly included district revenue officials.

    Eight beneficiary officers then filed a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the cancellation order of the Punjab government. In June 2013, the court directed the BoR member (colonies) to set aside the cancellation order and decide the matter afresh in accordance with the law after considering all the legal and factual submissions made by the parties and after following the due process as per law.

    The GHQ then cancelled the allotments in October 2013 in its papers.

    Officials at the CM Secretariat said as long as Shehbaz was there, no one dared to bring the matter up again.

    Later in November 2019, the DG Lands at GHQ wrote to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led by Usman Buzdar for the restoration of the allotments, stating that “all the orders of president/chief executive of Pakistan were subsequently given constitutional protection and also upheld by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Tikka Iqbal case”.

    Strangely enough the DG Lands did not mention that the said judgement was overturned by a 14-member bench in July 2009 in the PCO Judges case.

    Two days after the receipt of the DG Lands’ letter, the BoR member (colonies) initiated a fresh summary for the Punjab CM, requesting Buzdar to “take an explicit decision whether to withdraw the order cancelling the impugned allotments”. The CM referred the matter to the standing committee of the cabinet on legislative business that in February endorsed the viewpoint of the DG Lands, GHQ.

    The CM later approved the allotments “as recommended by the standing committee subject to ratification by the cabinet” given last week.

  • From interior to info, health, telecom, power, civil aviation among others: Military men serving Pakistan

    From interior to info, health, telecom, power, civil aviation among others: Military men serving Pakistan

    With former military bigwig Lieutenant General (r) Asim Bajwa being appointed as the special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on information and broadcasting earlier this week, the list of military men discharging their duties in various sectors to serve Pakistan has been added to.

    The development falls in line with the beliefs of various members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including PM Imran Khan and his federal ministers such as Fawad Chaudhry, who have time and again praised the armed forces of the country for being the most powerful and well-organised national institutions.

    While some elements appear bothered by the increasing list of both former and serving military officials working with the government at a time when civil-military relations in the country “stand at their historic best”, here is what you should know about those working to revamp different sectors for the cause of ‘Naya Pakistan’.

    Interior Minister Brigadier (r) Ijaz Shah:

    The Ministry of Interior, which is primarily responsible for implementing the internal policies, state security and administration of internal affairs involving the state, is being led by Brig (r) Ijaz Ahmed Shah. Prior to entering politics, Shah has served as a spy military officer of the Pakistan Army. He has also served as the minister for parliamentary affairs.

    SAPM on Information & Broadcasting Lt Gen (r) Asim Bajwa:

    Lt Gen (r) Bajwa, who replaced former information minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan as the premier’s media aide on Monday, is a retired three-star general. During his military career, he has served as the director general (DG) of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) as well as the commander of Pakistan Army’s Southern Command. He is also the chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority.

    NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal:

    Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — a federal authority mandated to deal with disasters and their management in the country — has risen to the occasion over the past few weeks as the coronavirus situation in Pakistan started worsening. Other than his experience with the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), he is qualified in international law of conflict with a special focus on civilian casualties and displaced persons.

    FROM CIVIL AVIATION TO HEALTH AND BEYOND:

    Among other not so familiar names are Squadron Leader (r) Shahrukh Nusrat, who is serving as an executive at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) after he was reappointed as the authority’s DG last year; National Institute of Health (NIH) Executive Director Maj Gen Dr Aamer Ikram, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, who is serving as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA); Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairperson Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) chief Maj Gen (r) Amir Bajwa.

  • Another army training aircraft crash claims two lives

    Another army training aircraft crash claims two lives

    A Pakistan Army aircraft on Monday crashed near Gujrat during a routine training mission, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported.

    According to the military’s media wing, an instructor pilot, Major Umer, and his student Lieutenant Faizan were martyred in the crash.

    “Major Umer, a resident of Gujrat, and Lieutenant Fiazan, a resident of Kalar Kahar, Chakwal, embraced shahadat,” the ISPR statement said.

    Major Umer is survived by a wife, the statement added.

    The ill-fated aircraft was a PAC MFI-17 Mushaq — a license-built fixed-gear basic trainer aircraft used by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF). An improved version of the Saab Safari, the MFI-17 is manufactured in Kamra by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.

    Earlier this year, a PAF F-16 aircraft had crashed near Shakarparian in Islamabad during rehearsals for the Pakistan Day Parade. Wing Commander Nauman Akram was martyred in the crash.

    Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had paid tribute to the martyr and said, “Laying one’s life is the ultimate sacrifice one can make for defence of the motherland. May his soul rest in peace. My thoughts and sincere prayers for the bereaved family.”

    In April, a PAF aircraft crashed while on a routine operational training mission near Mianwali.

    Both pilots, Squadron Leader Haris bin Khalid and Flying Officer Ibaadur Rehman, aboard the PAF FT-7 aircraft had lost their lives in the crash.

    A board of inquiry had been ordered by the Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the accident that had followed the last trainer plane crash in October 2019 when a Mushaq trainer aircraft belonging to the Army Aviation crash-landed in a paddy field near Wazirabad in Gujranwala district. Both pilots aboard the plane had remained safe.

  • Coronavirus: Army confirms helping govt with lockdown

    Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar has said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has issued directions for troops and medical resources to be deployed “as per need” in order to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

    Addressing a press briefing Monday, he said that the government had summoned the army for assistance in accordance with the constitution. “This is the time to take tough and difficult decisions on an individual, familial and societal basis,” chief of the military’s media wing said.

    He said coronavirus was a danger that “we have never seen in our lifetimes” but that Pakistan Army is fully aware of its duty and would counter the pandemic with the nation’s help.

    Maj Gen Iftikhar said he wished to apprise the country’s citizens of the military’s efforts in the war against COVID-19, which has so far infected 882 people and left at least six people dead.

    The borders have been closed as a preventive measure but “the actual border is between the man and the coronavirus, which we have yet to take control of”, he said.

    “This will only be possible through self-discipline and cooperation. The best defense against the coronovirus is cooperation,” he said, adding that Pakistan was facing a serious challenge and that only with the people’s belief in the state could this problem be resolved.

    “Pakistan Army is well aware of its responsibility and will bring all of its resources to use,” he said, assuring the citizens that the army was standing alongside its people.

    “Despite being deployed at the Line of Control (LoC) and the western border, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Javed Qamar Bajwa has directed that all available soldiers and the Army’s medical resources be deployed to tackle the coronavirus,” he noted.

    “According to the notification issued by the federal and provincial governments, only hospitals, shops selling food items, medical stores, and food and medicine manufacturing industries would only remain open, while schools shall remain closed,” he added.

    Maj Gen Iftikhar stressed that the petrol pumps and markets would remain open only according to the timings issued by the respective provincial governments.

    The spokesperson also mentioned that Gen Bajwa had decided to donate one month’s salary to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, while personnel between the ranks of Brig to Lt Gen would donate three days’ worth of their salaries. The personnel below the Col rank and soldiers would donate two and one days’ worth of their salaries, respectively, he added.

    Maj Gen Iftikhar also urged people to follow the guidelines issued by health authorities and the government.

    With regard to the Pakistan Day, he said the citizens — the heirs of those who fought for the country’s independence — “face a new challenge, an evil that has taken over the entire world … so much so that even the developed nations seem powerless against COVID-19”.

    The army spokesperson added that there was a need for everyone to once again unite with a passion for safe Pakistan. “Today is also a day to remember our Kashmiri brothers and sisters, who, despite being helpless in the face of the worst state-sanctioned terrorism and this natural disaster, are an example of resistance in their fight for the right to self-determination,” he added.

    “People of the occupied Kashmir will be successful in their struggle,” he added.