Brig Ali convicted in mutiny case

In a case that has gained importance in at least the relevant circles, the military seems to be taking on one of its own with an iron hand. Brigadier Ali Khan, who was facing a court martial over having links with the banned militant outfit Hizb-ul-Tahrir, has been convicted on Tuesday by the military court of conspiring to topple the government, trying to instigate a mutiny within the army and planning an attack on the GHQ.
The final decision and sentencing will be announced after an approval from the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), which may take anywhere between a few weeks to several months, according to military’s rules and regulations.
The case has its unique importance for the military and the government of Pakistan.
Soon after the May 2 raid of Osma bin Laden by the US in the garrison city of Abbottabad, some in the military and civil setup raised their voices in finding how a US Special Forces team could penetrate deep inside Pakistan’s territory without being detected, conduct a full scale military action for more than 40 minutes, kill Osma bin Laden, collect evidence, destroy one of their damaged helicopters and leave the country safe and without raising any alarm by the Pakistan military which has a strong presence in the area. Allegations of being complacent and incompetent soon flooded the media and talks between the countries.
Brig Ali was among those first few who questioned the role of Pakistan military and asked to take to task the responsible ones in this episode.
However, he was arrested on 6 May, 2011, from Rawalpindi where he planned to materialise his conspiracy. The court martial proceedings against Ali started last year in December, headed by a major general in Sialkot and concluded on 20 June, 2012. During the six-month long proceedings, five military officers recorded their testimonies from prosecution’s side.
The officers said that the defendant, Brig Ali, provoked them for mutiny against the civil leadership.
According to the rules and regulations, the military court will now send its written verdict to the Corps Commander, Gujranwala. Then it would be forwarded to the COAS before being publicly announced, which would happen only if it is allowed by the COAS.
If proven guilty, Brigadier Ali Khan could face death sentence.
Hizb-ul-Tahrir, which is banned in Pakistan as well as several other Muslim countries, professes non-violence and is not connected to terrorist groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or Al-Qaeda. But the outfit makes no secret of its desire to penetrate the armies of Muslim countries, particularly Pakistan, and foment an “Islamic coup” to establish a global “caliphate.”
Brig Ali’s lawyer has, however, a different story to tell. Khan’s lawyer, Inamur Rahim, says that he had contended in the court that court martial proceedings could not be initiated as his client had retired before the court initiated the proceedings, according to BBC Urdu. He said he told the court that the proceedings were a result of ill intent as his client was singled out for his popular demand of action against those responsible for US raid against Osama bin Laden. Mr Rahim said he had also moved the Lahore High Court but despite the issuance of six notices the army could not turn up to respond to his points.