Bugti not in favour of summoning ex-army men

Faizabad commission summons Fawad

Khayam Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti believes summoning former army chief (retd) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) director general (retd) General Faiz Hameed for investigation in the 2017 Faizabad sit-in case would not be beneficial for the country.

“Moving forward is always in the interest of Pakistan,” he said during an interview ‘Doosra Rukh’ which will be aired later today.

The federal government had on Nov 15 formed a fresh commission to probe the Faizabad sit-in and issued a notification of the same, which was then submitted before a Supreme Court bench hearing appeals against its 2019 verdict in the case.

During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa had said the commission was empowered to call anyone for investigation and no one would be exempt.

According to the notification issued by the government, the commission has been tasked with probing the various aspects of the Faizabad sit-in, including the role of intelligence agencies’ officials. It will submit its findings in a report to the federal government within two months.

So far, the commission has summo­ned former Punjab and Islamabad police chiefs Arif Nawaz and Sultan Azam Temuri, respectively, former Rawalpindi division commissioner Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary, ex-premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal. Neither Bajwa nor Faiz have been summoned by the panel as yet.

During the interview with private news channel, Bugti was asked if the ex-army officers should be summoned by the commission.

“This is the court’s job and a commission has been formed so it isn’t appropriate to comment on that. In my opinion, moving forward has always been beneficial for us,” the caretaker minister said.

On being asked if he would facilitate the commission in summoning the former military men, Bugti said: “Why would they ask us to facilitate? If they [Faiz and Bajwa] are called, they would appear [before the commission] themselves, they are citizens of Pakistan.

“But how beneficial this is for Pakistan or not is a big question mark,” he said, adding that in his opinion this won’t be favourable for the country.

Talking about the overall law and order situation in the country, Bugti said there had been a 78 per cent increase in terrorism across Pakistan in the last eight months.

“We face a big challenge from the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch separatists and this challenge has always been present,” he stated, pointing out that the same was not a new phenomena.

The minister said it was unfortunate that the country moved towards a policy of appeasement. “There is a lack of consistency because of which insurgents regroup […] we get lenient which enables them to re-strengthen and then attack us,” he explained.

Bugti said that there were security threats even today but added that this was a challenge that needed to be dealt with.

When asked about security for the upcoming elections, he said the defence ministry was better equipped to answer the question. “But the paramilitary forces under the interior ministry would remain available at the disposal of the Election Commission of Pakistan,” the minister said.

On the events of May 9, when violent protests erupted across Pakistan after PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested, Bugti said the event was a “conspiracy against the army”.

He also clarified that the caretakers had no role in “removing Imran Khan from the post of PTI chairman”. Imran, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala jail, has decided to not contest intra-party polls scheduled for tomorrow and has nominated Barrister Gohar Khan in his stead. Meanwhile, The Faizabad Inquiry Commission has summoned caretaker minister Fawad Hasan Fawad to give his statement.

The commission will question Fawad on Dec 5 on the minutes he recorded during the Nov 22, 2017 meeting.

Sources reveal that Fawad Hasan Fawad, who was then overseeing the police and administration, will be a key figure in shedding light on the events surrounding the dharna (protest) that led to casualties.

The development follows appearance by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal.

Sources said the commission gave a four-page questionnaire to Abbasi.