The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday constituted a team to trace and arrest those running a negative social media campaign on the tragic incident of army helicopter crash in Balochistan. The decision comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said belittling and ridiculing the sacrifices of martyrs was horrifying. PM called it a ‘moment of reflection’.
The army has strongly condemned what it called “hurtful and derogatory” comments made by a certain group of people following the helicopter crash in which six army officers embraced martyrdom. When the news of the army helicopter going missing came, certain people on social media started making derogatory comments, wishing for the presence of top military leadership on the missing chopper.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued a detailed judgment regarding the construction in Margalla Hills National Park and declared the construction of the Navy Golf Course illegal. The IHC held that the Pakistan Army has no power nor jurisdiction to, directly or indirectly, engage in business ventures of any nature outside its composition nor to claim the ownership of state land.
Taking a jibe at retired generals who called for dismissal of assemblies, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday, said the Pakistan Army veterans were not loyal to their institution. Speaking to media outside Islamabad High Court (IHC), Maryam challenged them to return their medals if they were interested in politics, adding that the media should criticise the one “who made things worse”.
The government on Friday increased the defence budget for the outgoing fiscal year by nearly 6% to over Rs1.45 trillion. The decision was taken in a bid to meet the needs of the armed forces, including their enhanced salary requirements. The Ministry of Defence had demanded an additional Rs80 billion defence budget for “critical shortfalls”.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested a “mastermind” and at least six others members of his network for alleged attempt to ‘malign’ the Pakistan army. The group was involved in launching a Twitter trend against the Pakistan Army and security institutions, following recent political developments in the country. The drive against the security institutions began with the ouster of Imran Khan as the prime minister.
In a first, Pakistan Army has promoted a Hindu officer Kelash Kumar to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He is the first Hindu to attain this position in the Pakistan Army. Kumar’s rank was upgraded from major to lieutenant colonel during the promotion boards. He passed out from the Pakistan Military Academy and was serving in the army’s medical corps.
Despite all the perks enjoyed by Pakistan army officers, the recent hike in electricity tariff has forced the General Headquarters (GHQ) to ask for rebate on electricity bills. Quarter Master General of the General Headquarters (GHQ) has approached the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) through the Ministry of Defense, seeking a complete 50% rebate on electricity bills for all commissioned officers.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mohammad Qasim Khan on Wednesday lashed out at the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) for its involvement in “illegal” occupation of lands and regretted that the army seemed to have become the “biggest land grabber”. CJ Khan regretted that the army had also grabbed a piece of land measuring 50-kanal owned by the high court.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that the Pakistan Army has been requested to help the law enforcement agencies implement Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOPs) across the country. The premier appealed to the nation to follow precautions, warning the country would soon be facing a situation like India if it continued on the same trajectory.