The services of three retired generals of the Pakistan Army have been restored for their court martial for having been involved in National Logistics Cell (NLC) scam.
In a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday, NAB officials briefed the body about the NLC scam involving corruption of billions of rupees.
They said the NAB chairman has held three meetings with Chief of Army Staff about the matter. They said the army officers involved in the scandal were Lt General (r) Khalid Munir, Lt General (r) Afzal Muzaffar and Major General (r) Zaheer Akhtar. NAB said the army had assured that would inquire into the cases of three generals involved in the scandal, while NAB would hold civilian inquiries. They said the GHQ was not cooperating in the case in the beginning, but NAB then warned them of forcibly taking into custody all relevant record under the NAB ordinance. “Now the GHQ has agreed to cooperate,” they said.
They added that they had been informed that the three generals had been restored on service for court martial. Audit officials said they had been informed that proceedings of court martial against three generals had already been initiated.
PAC Chairman Nadeem Afal Gondal observed that these were delaying tactics and remarked that while action was taken immediately against post-office officials, there was a delay in cases of VIPs.
The PAC asked the defense secretary to submit a report on progress in the case in fifteen days and asked NAB to provide the relevant record. NLC Director General Major General Junaid told the committee that the department had retrieved loan of Rs 9.5 billion and this year it earned a profit of Rs 6.5 billion. He said the NLC was no more transporting goods of Afghan transit trade, which was a business of Rs 100 billion. He said if the government so desired, they could get the contract once again.
Member of the Committee Hamid Yar Hiraj said smuggling had increased after the Afghan Transit trade contract was given to the private sector. Planning Commission Secretary Javed Malik informed the PAC that 191 projects would be completed during the current financial year and it was the effort of the government that no new project was launched until December so that work was completed on the ongoing projects.
It is good that these holy cows will be tried. I will wait for the ultimate verdict. Details of proceedings must be made public so that we know whether it is a real trial or merely an eyewash. Having said that, it is desirable that system of so-called internal accountability of military officers and judges may be dispensed with. It may be noted that Supreme Judicial Council has never been able to conduct any accountability. Judiciary acts like a state within a state.
Why restore them as in-service generals? They committed a crime as ex-Armry officers (civilians) and should try them in normal civilian courts. Giving them back to GHQ might means a favourable punishment or delays.
The committed crime in uniform, they have been restored to initiate court martial against them. That is perhaps the requirement of Pakistan Army Act 1952
Tag of NICL, and story of NLC????????????
I suggest our super smart, trigger happy commentators to hang on a bit. A court martial does not mean conviction. As per my information these officers may have caused a loss to the Organization but were not beneficiaries in any personal gains.
like any other accused, these soldiers too should be given due let in clearing their names.
commission or omission both need to be established, transparently and in full view of free media….yes FREE media
It is NLC not NICL! Wrong logo at the top 😛
You have put a logo of National Insurrance Company LImited (NICL) on the top . the news is about ( NLC )National Logistic Cell
Hence proved accountability is only for the bloody civilians. Why Chief Justice did not take sue moto in this case. Had any worker of PPP been involved in any such case, Chief Justice would have raised storm in the tea cup. I have a question, while driving a vehicle on Islamabad roads a General, Active or Retired, hit and kill a civilian then would that General be tried in a military or a civilian court? Answer is clear – since this happened in civilian domain he be tried in a civilian court.
The NLC scam was done in civilian domain by civilian and Generals. There can’t be any distinction and they all must be investigated by same agency and must be tried in the same court. If proven then they all should be punished according to what they did. It was naïve on part of NAB to even contact GHQ for its consent, as if that matters. Law of the land is supreme for everyone and military can’t have its own way. Military is subservient to those who pays its salary. Anyone in military if dares to differ then he must be tried for treason. It is about time that criminals, civilian or in army, start paying for their crimes.
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