The Senate on Thursday passed a bill proposing amendments to the Pakistan Army Act 1952. The bill was moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and was rushed through without being referred to a standing committee. The bill includes a section regarding punishment for defaming army to two years and a fine along with rules for retired army officers.
A Washington-based journalist Shaheen Sehbai and three vloggers — Syed Haider Raza Mehdi, Wajahat Saeed Khan, and major (retired) Adil Farooq Raja — have been booked for inciting violence during the May 9 protests. The FIR was registered at Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station under sections 120-B, 121, 121-A, and 131 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
Remarks of former chief of army staff (COAS) General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa on combat preparedness were quoted ‘out of context’ said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday. Earlier it emerged that former COAS Qamar Javed Bajwa reportedly told two senior journalists that the Pakistan Army lacked the ammunition and economic strength.
Police on Monday arrested former army general Lieutenant General (retired) Amjad Shoaib on allegations of engagement in “hate speech” and provoking government employees against the administration. Amjad Shoaib was arrested from his residence by the Islamabad police under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
General Asim Munir on Tuesday took over the command of the Pakistan Army from General Qamar Javed Bajwa in an eminent ceremony held at the General Headquarters (GHQ). The outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa handed over the baton of command to the newly appointed 17th Army Chief General Asim Munir.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday said that they have called off a ceasefire agreed with the federal government in June. In a statement from the banned terror outfit, it said it has ordered its militants to stage terrorist attacks across the country. The TTP has been responsible for hundreds of attacks and thousands of deaths since emerging in 2007.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s focal person on Digital Media and Technologies Ahmad Jawad resigned on Friday, claiming “government decisions come from three different places”. Jawad posted a copy of his resignation on his Twitter handle which stated that his “greatest service in politics is that [he] introduced new principles”. He added that he is resigning from his post due to the prime minister’s constraints.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Monday that six Pakistan Army officials, including two majors, were martyred after a helicopter crashed during a flying mission near Khost in Harnai, Balochistan. The ISPR has yet to release details about the cause of the crash which comes more than a month after a similar incident occurred in Balochistan.
The Ministry of Interior has cancelled the no-objection certificate (NOC) of ARY Communications Private Ltd, citing “adverse reports from agencies” as the reason behind the decision. Reporting on the development, ARY News’ English website called the cancellation by “the coalition government led by PML-N” an “economic murder of more than 4,000 media workers associated with the news channel”.
November will be an important month of Pakistan as the decision on General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s successor will be made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif. If the current military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s term is not extended, then the new COAS and CJCSC will be selected from among the following senior-most lieutenant generals of the Pakistan Army.