Death Sentences Endorsed To Retired Brigadier And A Civilian For Leaking Sensitive Information; Shahid Afridi Expresses Pride

On 22nd February media announced that there were two high ranking army officers taken in custody for the espionage, leaking sensitive information to foreign agencies, but there were no further details disclosed of the offenses that were committed by the convicts. This information was later confirmed by ISPR in a video statement released of Major General Asif Ghafoor.

The captures were addressed by Major General Asif Ghafoor as success in the terms that they have been able to identify the convicts and took action against them. He announces the confirmation by saying that two officers with charges of espionage are under military custody and they have been taken under the process of court-martial by the orders of the army chief. Also, stating the fact that there is no link between both cases and they are entirely separate. "and there is no network as such,” said Maj Gen Ghafoor. He added that when the process will be completed, he will share the results with the public.

Following that promise, on Thursday, 30 May, Chief of Army Staff Gen Bajwa endorsed the death sentences to Army Officer ex-brigadier Raja Rizwan and civilian Dr Wasim Akram, and 14-year imprisonment to ex-Lt Gen Javed Iqbal again confirming that all three cases did not have any link with each other, keeping the rest of the information of the treason case confidential. The statement was given out by ISPR saying, ““The officers were tried under Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and Official Secret Act by separate Field General Court Martial (FGCM) for separate cases.” More news and facts about Pakistan Army are here

In a statement DG ISPR said that by the orders of COAS it is seen that Army personnel are answerable to the law. Also adding that the charges on the officials were according to their malpractice. He said, in Army, no one is above the law and the accountability will be held over all security officials. 

Any individual in a government position whether in uniform or civilian is under the obligation of not passing on any secret information according to the Official Secrets Act. Violation and is punishable by life imprisonment or death.

The details of the statement included the names of the traitors and the punishments endorsed by Field General Court Martial (FCGM) to them accordingly:

Retired Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal — awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment

Retired Brigadier Raja Rizwan — awarded death sentence

Doctor Wasim Akram (Employed at Sensitive Organisation) — awarded death sentence

The ISPR however retained from disclosing the exact nature of the offenses of the officers who were involved in it but it is suggested by certain reports that sensitive information had been passed on to the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Both traitors who had leaked sensitive information to foreign agencies prejudice to the national security now endorsed with death-sentence was at high-ranking positions. According to the reports, Doctor Wasim Akram was employed at a sensitive organization and Lt Gen (retd) Javed Iqbal in his military career has held key posts. While the official endorsed with 14-years rigorous imprisonment General Javed Iqbal was a three-star retired general.

Lt Gen (retd) Javed Iqbal as a brigadier headed the significant 111 Brigade in Rawalpindi. He is believed to have the access gained of the sensitive information in his service as the director of the General Military Operations (DGMO) which he passed on to foreign agencies. Later by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.

Lt Gen also lead the investigation into the Abbottabad fiasco as an adjutant general. Before he retired in 2016, he last served as the Bahawalpur corps commander.

However, not much information is available about Brig Raja Rizwan. Some of the reports suggest that his service was associated in the Pakistani mission to Germany as defense attaché.

In conversation with The Express Tribune Col (retd) Inam Rahim who has served in the army’s Judge and Advocate General Branch shared that in the history of Pakistan this is the first time a three-star general of high ranking has been sent behind bars and an Army Officer has been endorsed with a death sentence under the Official Secrets Act.

“It’s a good sign that people holding high positions in the army are being convicted,”  said colonel.

Adding that If the sentences of the officials are upheld, they will have the right to file an appeal subsequently before the Supreme Court and before a high court.

This point was seconded by DG ISPR who said in a statement that the disposal of cases by the COAS is a testimony of the Armed forces’ strict across-the-board accountability system. The punishment awarded to the officers in all three cases is of a maximal degree in the corresponding law to their respective wrongdoings.

Here, It is relevant to mention that around 400 officers regardless of their rank have been awarded various punishments, including their dismissal from service, in the past two years.

Lately, in the case of Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani, former ISI chief, the army had ordered a court-martial on him for jointly writing a book with an ex-RAW chief. Lt Gen (R) M Afzal and Major General Khalid Zahid Akhtar were two other senior officers who in NLC scandal involving an investment of over Rs4 billion in stock market, also faced court-martial.

The analysts had to say that real accountability is that which is visible to all and that whatever was said, has also been acted upon. The military officers come under the ambit of accountability regardless of their rank. Adding that the accountability of Lt Gen (R) Asad Durrani was also conducted under the similar policy and the policy of ‘accountability for all’ will also be followed in the future.

Former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi shared his opinion on the stance saying that he was proud of the Pakistan Army for placing itself first and foremost on the line for accountability.

Pakistan is one of the world's top executing countries, according to the report of rights group Amnesty International.

At least execution of 14 prisoners and more than 250 sentenced to death were taken into action in Pakistan last year, as said by the UK-based group in its annual report released in April.