May 9 violence caused losses of Rs2.5bn, AGP tells SC
Pakistan
AGP again requests the SC to form full court to hear the pleas against military trials of civilians
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan disclosed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the violent incidents of May 9 had caused loss of Rs2.5 billion, including Rs1.9bn to military installations in the country.
The revelation was made in the apex court during the hearing of a set of pleas challenging the military trials of civilians. The six-member larger bench is headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial and consisting Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha A. Malik.
The Attorney General briefed the court regarding the version of the federal government over the trial of civilians in the military courts. In his arguments, Attorney General said that the attack on Lahore Corps Commander House took place at 5:40pm.
He added that all the attacks on military installations took place at the same time 3pm and 7pm on 9th May throughout the country.
AGP informed the court that a protective wall was demolished at the Mianwali PAF airbase where the airplanes were parked, adding that fuel for the planes was also there.
The Attorney General said that the Corps Commander House was severely damaged in Lahore. As many as 52 people were injured in attacks on 62 different places in Punjab.
He said that the violent incidents of May 9 had caused losses of Rs2.5 billion.
He also presented the photographs of May 9 and 10 attacks on the military installations. He showed the court the way people entered the GHQ by thrashing its Gate No.1.
He said that the office of the Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) Hamza Camp in Rawalpindi and the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology were also attacked by the violent mob. “Violent incidents also took place in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala,” he said while adding that petrol bombs were also used on May 9.
The AGP said that the miscreants also broke the army statue in GHQ while they also attacked the Army History Museum.
The Attorney General also informed the court that a mosque was also attacked in Lahore’s Corps Commander House.
He added that the army officials are not trained to deal with the protesters the way police have the required training.
“Are you saying that army officers only trained to shoot?” CJP Bandial asked. At this, AGP Awan said that army officers are fully trained in using the weapons but army showed restraint on May 9.
The Attorney General said that Lahore and Peshawar were completely destroyed that day. “A school was damaged in Timargrah while Punjab Regiment Mardan Center and Balochistan Regiment Abbottabad were also attacked,” he said, while adding that Motorway Tall Plaza was also set ablaze in Swat.
The Attorney General added that many sensitive military installations including the Lahore Corps Commander House, GHQ and airbases were attacked in a systematic manner.
He further said that military installations had suffered a loss of Rs1.9bn while more than 200 people, including 184 law enforcers, were injured during the violence on May 9 and 10.
Attorney General once again requested to form a full court bench to hear the pleas against military trials of civilians. The plea was once again turned down by the bench.
The attorney general claimed that such an incident had never taken before in the country’s history.
CJP Bandial also asked the AGP to talk about the points raised by the petitioners. “What is the punishment in military courts under Section 7 of the Army Act?” he asked.
The AGP responded that the punishment in military courts is two years imprisonment under Sections 3 and 9.
Justice Bandial then remarked that there is an element of seriousness regarding the events of May 9. “There is no such incident where institutions were attacked across the country this way,” he observed.
Justice Naqvi asked the AGP regarding any death of a military official in the violence. “No death of any military official was reported”, replied the AGP. Justice Naqvi said that why section 302 came into force if there was no death reported.
The hearing was later adjourned for 9:30am on Friday.
The petitions were filed by former CJP Jawwad S. Khawaja, Aitzaz Ahsan, Latif Khosa and Karamat Ali.
