The Hoodlumism of Army Officers and the Blatant Lack of Accountability

PK-tyrant-boot-posterRecently Mr Ali Anan Qamar, an Assistant Coordination Officer and in-charge of Sheikh Yasin camp was beaten up and publicly humiliated by two officers of Pakistan Army, Maj. Asad Jamal and Lt. Haider marwat of 32nd Cavalry on 8th July 2009. Mr Qamar is a very well educated official of the government and we fear that if such treatment is meted out to high officials of the civil bureaucracy what may be happening to those who are the poor and illiterate in society and who cannot even raise their voices.

Ali Anan Qamar wrote on PkPolitics.com

Today on 08-07-09, at about 11:00AM, I was sitting in my office at Skeikh Yasin Camp, when Lt Haider of 32 cavalry came to my office. Apparently he was in on angry mood and told me that Major Asad 32 cavalry was not happy with me. He mentioned as list of things which Major Asad wanted to be done through me. I responded and if he had any complaints against me, he better report it to the DCO and Commissioner Mardan.

He threatened me with dire consequences. I then proceeded to the Rub Hall, where an army JCO came and asked me to report about the tents which the army had provided to the camp. I responded that I will hand over a report to some officer like a captain or a major. The JCO misbehaved with me there, in front of many witnesses including two doctors for ERU who had brought in Atta for the IDPs. The JCO too accused me of abusing the army and refused to move, but later some civilians finally managed to take him away from the Rub Hall.

About half an hour later, while I was standing in a container along with Wajid of SRSP, that I saw army jawans fully armed beating up the IDPs. Then Major Asad and Lt Haider rushed towards one with 35/40 troops fully armed and Major Asad said, “Pick him up”.

The jawan of army led by Major Asad and Lt Haider started beating me up mercilessly with fists, shoes and butts of gun and abused me continuously. I was thrown on the ground and beaten. Then they picked me up from my hands and legs and dragged me towards the military vehicle parked outside.

The jawans beat me continuously under the directions of Major Asad and forced me to sit on the floor of the vehicle with my head down. I was then alternately asked to stand on the seat of the vehicle with my hands raised. The beating continued, the abuses continued. The IDPs were rounded up and made to look at my beating the message was given that this is your ACO, and we the army are throwing him out. We have taken over..

I was then thrown on the ground and then dragged on to as to the main Charsadda Road. There my shirt was ripped open and I was asked to lie on the road. Then amidst the continuous beating, Major Asad stopped a rickshaw and I was put in the rickshaw. Lt Haider come to me and said, now you know what the army is and beat me more.

In this whole ordeal I have sustained injuries on the chin and head, bruises on the face, which will be shown in the medicolegal certificate. Prior to the incident they raided my office and took away the record of the camp. Lt Haider took away my two mobiles telephones 1 Nokia communicator with Ufone Sim 0334-4119821 and 2 Sony Erricson 03004132534. The Lt Haider also took away my wallet with some cash in it and ID Cards, Aim Cards, Driving Lenience and Service Card. That cash amounted to R.S 3000-4000/-

I charge Major Asad and Lt Haider for physically assaulting me, causing injuries on my chin and other parts of the body and obstructing me form tha discharge of my official duty, snatching my purse and mobiles. I can also identify the other accused if they are produced before me.

The accused also gave beating to my gun man Qayyum, Mr. Wajid from SRSP and some others who were accompanying me at that time.

08-07-09
Signed by Ali Anan Qamar

On the 14th of July Kamran Shafi wrote a column in Dawn and questioned about this incident to say Whatever happened to Thana Saddar, Mardan, FIR No: 416/09 dated July 8, 2009?

As of now we do not need to make this issue too ‘political’ but an issue of rights of an individual and urge the Pakistan army to take quick action against its officers mentioned in the FIR. Only recently Anan Qamar’s wife Knawal Qamar wrote in seriously doubting the Army’s intention in bringing justice with the following email

Today ie on 14-07-09 at 10 pm Mr Ejaz Haider conducted an hour long discussion on this issue in his program Siasiyaat aired on Samaa News Channel..Lt Col Waseem was also contacted in this program and he spoke the following lies on air:

  1. That this issue is resolved and a reconciliation has taken place.
  2. The event was just based on a MISUNDERSTANDING
  3. The army officers did not beat up Mr Anan.
  4. He was bleeding just because he might have been hurt by his nail

Trust me, his statements were most shocking to us because we have a handwritten note of apology addressed to my husband after this incident..by the same Lt. who was lying to the people of Pakistan and hiding facts.The FIR No. is 416 (Thana Saddar Mardan) dated: 08-07-09

Till now we are not sure if army is serious about conducting an inquiry because we don’t have any documentary response from the army on this issue as yet.

Lt Col Waseems blatant lies on air have made us even more determined to fight for our right till the very end. Please see if u can get a recording of that program.

Regards!
Kanwal


by

Comments

117 responses to “The Hoodlumism of Army Officers and the Blatant Lack of Accountability”

  1. Aamir Mughal Avatar

    Amir Mughal, My applogies, I didn’t realize that we Pakistanis are made of “Chikni Mitti” and “Kalam-e-narm o Nazuk , Bey-Asar”.My bad.[Ajmal]

    —–

    Dear Ajmal Sahab,

    For your kind perusal,

    Why Musharraf alone? By Murtaza Razvi Thursday, 30 Jul, 2009 | 08:27 AM PST |

    http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-

    Public memory anywhere is short-lived. In Pakistan it is also steered by the shortsightedness of those who insist on erasing it from the record altogether. The transition to democracy is hardly a fait accompli as we speak. Democratic institutions weakened by Gen Musharraf’s tinkering with the constitution are far from being stable entities today. While anyone in their right mind must blame the general for the mess at hand, the judiciary should also show the moral courage to shoulder its part of the blame.

    The fact that it was the Supreme Court headed by the same honourable chief justice which gave Gen Musharraf the right to amend the constitution single-handedly in May 2000 cannot be overlooked. This was far more than what the then chief executive had expected to get from the apex court; he had just sought indemnity for the circumstances under which the Oct 12, 1999 coup took place. The general himself did not stage the coup from mid-air, aboard a PIA commercial flight which was not even in Pakistani airspace when the 111 Brigade struck to depose the prime minister.

  2. MB Avatar

    Officers below colonel are mostly fine

    Above that go nuts

    Its not the mistake of the jawanz

    Its actually the ARMY system that somehow makes small kids from villages in PAKISTAN act like GODs in wardi

    – – ITS ALL ABOUT that BULLSHIT system –

    Had Quaid been alive they would get them back to their skin, now along with the politicians and the feudal class they are the KINGs and

    so

    bear them for now

  3. MB Avatar

    @DOC

    " With all your outpouring of loyalty to the . . .

    . . . while the borders are being outrun by drones and other equipment courtesy of ‘outsiders'"

    O MA GOD !!

    TM blasted the wardi fellows 🙂

  4. MB Avatar

    @noman

    i guess the last this TALIBAN evil was created by your own wardi walaz

    Why you trying to act alien to them by your stupid sarcastic commentary on DOC. Who funds train and harbor the militant camps and what ISI does it a universal truth. If you dont know that, its your problem. You sound like a street kid be adding DOC to talibanz etc. You dont even know his ideological stance on such issues. just because his father happen to be from PTI and just because PTI has a soft stance on TALIBAN doesnt mean you try to manipulate facts.

    Grow up

  5. dr jawwad khan Avatar
    dr jawwad khan

    noman is already a grown up ……

  6. Aamir Mughal Avatar

    @noman – i guess the last this TALIBAN evil was created by your own wardi walaz [MB]

    ==============

    Dear Sir,

    You are correct 100%.

    “QUOTE”

    “The policy for the support of the Taliban was apparently conceived by Gen. (retd) Naseerullah Babar, the Interior Minister during the PPP regime and had the support of the Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) led by Maulana Fazalur-Rehamn which controlled the bulk of those Deeni Madressahs in the NWFP and Baluchistan.The transporters, drug mafias, other extremist Sunni organisations like the Sipah-i-Sahaba,(SSP) Lashka-e-Jhangvi,(LJ), Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-Mohammadi, (TNSM) also supported the policy. The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the foreign office were apparently divided and were late converts to the policy. Gen. (retd) Naseerullah Babar was the in-charge of the Afghan policy during former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhuttto’s rule (1971-77) and had masterminded the arming of the Afghan opposition led by Hikmatyar and Ahmed Shah Masood against Sardar Daud’s regime (1973-1978). With Benazir Bhutto in power in 1993, he was entrusted with the task of reopening the route to Central Asian Republics through Afghanistan. He negotiated with the Afghan warlords to open the Quetta-Chaman-Kandahar-Herat route to Turkmenistan. The Pakistani convoy was stopped by the warlords in September 1994, which was freed by the Talibans. Many observers believe that Pakistan, having seen the potential of the nascent movement of the Taliban, began to support the movement which paved the way for their swift victories in Afghanistan.

    The Deeni Madressahs led by the JUI (F) provided the manpower. Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, a close ally of the PPP who had been made the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of Foreign Affairs, also played a key role in garnering the support for the Taliban in the corridors of power. Various Pakistani governmental organisations like the PTCL, Railway, PIA and Ministry of Communications provided the infrastructural assistance to the Taliban. The ISI began to provide military supplies, logistical support, technical know how and the extensive knowledge of the Afghan situation.Apparently, the ISI and the foreign office were reluctant to support the Taliban in the beginning because of their potential implications for the broad-based political settlement in Afghanistan, however, fastly changing ground realities in the favour of Taliban forced them to shift their policies and throw their weight in the favour of the Taliban.

    Gen. (Retd.) Naseerullah Babar and the military officers in ISI were motivated by the Pushtun ethnicity and viewed Talibans as the “Pushtun proxies” They wanted to revive the Pushtun fortunes in Afghanistan. It was first time that Kabul was being controlled by the Tajiks and it was painful for the Pushtuns to see Kabul under their control. The JUI (F) the JUI (S) and other extremist Sunni organisations like SSP, LJ,TNSM viewed Taliban’s victories as the Deobandi’s revolution and expected the same kind of revolution in Pakistan.The transporters’ lobbies in Pakistan considered Taliban as a god-given saviour who were instrumental in removing the barriers on the roads in Afghanistan. They were sick of paying to the multitudes of Afghan warlords, who had virtually paralysed their business. The drug dealers also saw their vested interest in supporting the Taliban as they only demanded the tax on their product and had little qualm about the international concerns regarding drug controls.Consequences of the PolicyApparently, the policy of support for the Taliban appeared well suited for Pakistan’s strategic, economic and political interests. The Talibans were controlling more than 90 per cent of Afghanistan and had pushed their rivals, Northern Alliance, to the wall.

    They had been recognised by Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. and were in the process of negotiating their recognition with the United States. However, there were serious long-term negative consequences of this policy for Afghanistan, Pakistan, the regional countries and the rest of the world, which had not been properly thought through while formulating the policy.The policy of support for the Taliban alienated other Afghan ethnic groups to the degree where the goal of a broad-based government became impossible to achieve. The very nature of the Taliban regime and their policies created severe problems for Pakistan as its polity, economy, and foreign policy began to be affected by the Taliban policies. The non-compromising attitude of the Taliban regime created difficulties for Pakistan with the United States and Saudi Arabia, eventually leading them to turn against Taliban. The ideology of Taliban alarmed Iran, Russia, Central Asian republics who began to support anti-Taliban forces actively.

    First important lesson is that if the pros and cons of significant decisions are not thought through, the country has to suffer the consequences of the policy. Contrary to the widely held perception about the dominant role of the ISI in the making of the Afghan policy, the policy of the support of the Taliban was in fact conceived by Gen. (Retd.) Naseerullah Babar, the Interior Minister during the PPP regime (1993-1996). The Taliban policy was a civilian initiative possibly against the wishes of the ISI and the foreign office who wanted to continue the policy of seeking a broad-based settlement. However, the Pushtun element within the PPP, and later the military was able to push their way through to top echelon of power and succeeded in making it a Pakistan’s policy with disastrous consequences for Afghanistan and Pakistan and the regional countries. It is surprising that the decision-makers overlooked the nature of Taliban’s ideology, their social base, their implications for the Afghan society and their possible impact for Pakistan. Taliban’s extremely narrow vision of Islam put them in clash with all the non-Pushtun minorities of the Afghan society pushing them into the arms of the foreign powers, stirred the wave of Talibanisation in the NWFP and Blauchistan leading to increasing conflict and violence in the Pakistani society and sent shockwaves in the regional countries, Iran, China, Russia and Central Asia republics.Secondly, their appeared a lack of coordination at the decision-making level among the different bodies. Interior Ministry, Parliamentary Committee, the Political Parties and Different lobbies had their own agenda. The ISI and the Foreign Office had their own policies. The ISI remained divided and continued backing both Hikmatyar and Taliban till the fall of Kabul in 1996.

    "UNQUOTE"

    Development of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy:

    Case Study No.3 Case Study on Pakistan’s Recognition of Taliban

    http://www.ghalib.com/democracy/Foreign%20Policy/

    Afghanistan — not so great games Columnist Hamid Hussain does a detailed analysis of the present situation

    http://www.defencejournal.com/2002/april/games.ht

  7. MB Avatar

    Thanks for this one AM . I recently saw you on a channel and was quite impressed by your views. Though not necessarily that i agree to all you say but frankly why the evils of yesterday try to act saviors of today.

    If they have learned anything from history , firstly admit the mistake openly and submit an apology to the nation and then try to act anti-taliban. We are not fools, we know who does what behind the curtains.

    THIS I AM TALKING ABOUT THE WARDI-chumchaz

    Since the ARMY created this evil , it should handle it and eliminate it now and if in doing so it has to sacrifice jawanz we share the sorrow but that doesnt mean we shun our eyes from blindness. Dear ARMY your created the evil now you should pay the price, not the NATION. Unfortunately the nations is being made to pay the bulk of the price by this bhikari movement of donations (awaam ke naam pe) from USA and EU and even then half-heart (o please dont give me the list of captains or majors killed in operation, its collateral damage idiot) operation.

    If our establishment is interested in us to believe its serious in this operation it must REVERSE all the evil it started in 80s.

    These clumsy LAL MASJID type actions or the one in sawat can fool the ordinary ones not "THE ONEs who UNDERSTAND the GAME".

  8. zohaib Avatar
    zohaib

    i read all the comments regarding army beaten up case, MY DEAR INNOCENT PAKISTANIS this civil servant and his wife who started up with this false propaganda on net and newspaper shows of their level of patience ang ugly face. in army a JCO is an officer, to whome mr civil servant humiliated, shook him off and abused. He should understand and feel some shame (which he might have now) that its army which always save you people asses, its army men giving their lives for its safety not these young boys writting on this blog blablabla…. u burger and pizza grown up boys u dont know ur worth , mail me i invite you to spend a night at glacier and a day in waziristan, at such places your moms wouldnt come to shuff a nipple in your mouth and you commenting on PAKISTAN ARMY, and mr civil servant u should stop asking your friends and family to participate here on this site, GROW UP MAN !!!!!!!!

  9. Arman Avatar
    Arman

    Dr. Jawad,

    it really is pleasing!

    unaiza baji!

    aap nay to riwayati auraton ki tarah kosna shuroo kar diya hay :)))

    Ms. Kanwal

    Well done. The alleged crime must be brought before the people. And it should be advertised as none get justice in the land of the pure by just becoming a silent victim.

    If anyone has reservations about these allegations, let the course of justic has its way and should not be hampered by Army or others. Allegations must be proved or otherwise at the appropriate forum.

    To Ms. Unaiza,

    Yes Aunti,

    U should love the army as like countless others in this land. But allegations of a crime should not be put on hold until the two officers involved get their job at IDPs camp done, or for that matter operation in Swat is completed.

    A crime is a crime.It can be committed by any one for any reasons. we should respect soldires but should not condone their acts of bigotry and utter indiscipline in the performanec of duties even in the heat of a full fledged war with a foriegn army. Human rights and its respect is above everything. We dont need people above the law, as this statuts is given to the Lord, Almighty only.

    Ms Kanwal, i salute ur courrage and support ur cause.

  10. Aamir Mughal Avatar

    But the “allegation” that Pushtun elements in Army and ISI had their way on Taliban, is a white lie and against the very policy of the state of pakistan. [Arman]
    ==================

    Dear Sir,

    Thanks for the compliment but I am not at all an Scholar but just a compiler and collector of Historical Facts.

    Regarding Taliban I have just quoted the source and they could be wrong and could be right. Read Naseerullah Babar’s interview on Afghan Mess, he himself admitted:

    Research , questionnaire,typing and editing done by Major A.H AMIN (Retired),Tank Corps then Assistant Editor Defence Journal , Karachi, April 2001.

    Major General (Retd) Naseerullah Khan Babar, Scandals & Shenanigans

    http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/06/major-general-retd-naseerullah-khan.html

    No doubt PPP was a victim of Military Establishment but, Sir, how would you justify the likes of General Tikka Khan [he was the Brigadier in late 50s and early 60s during Ayub’s Martial Law and ruthlessly murdered Balochs in Military Operation and violated oath on Quran first by making fake promise to Nauroz Khan and his nephews for laying down weapons and later on all of them were hanged and then the same Tikka Khan butchered Bengalis and if that was not enough Bhutto made him COAS and then accepted him in PPP as General Secretary and Benazir appointed him Governor Punjab] and Naseerullah Babar [you may differ with MQM but the way Military, PPP and PML-N violated Law while dealing with MQM cannot be condoned] in PPP and worst fact that Rehman Malik [Naseerullah doesn’t like him now in 2008] was his right hand man during 1994, 1995 and 1996.

  11. Arman Avatar
    Arman

    Mr. Mughal

    U are just a brilliant scholar and use research and book refernce in the discussion on the Army, Politics and role of variuos people and section of our society in formation and ruunning of one of the most important policy; Afghanuistan. Dera sir, i may not agree with u on two counts at least;

    One, it is alleged that Benazir and NAseerullah Babar was the real architect of the Taliban Policy of pakisdtan. This is never backed by real worlds documentary evideneces. For a refernce, please read Zafar Hilali, who was advisor to then Prime Minister Benzair Bhutto on important issues relating to internal and external policies. This man has cleraly confeessed that Benazir had returned the file for "creation of Taliban and active Pakistani Support for the" initiated by the Ministry of Defence (read ISI and Security Establishment) through the Ministry of Interior. in this connnection, it was also told her by the security Czars that Americans were hugely interested in this project and as such this policy must be adoipted. Zafar Hilali has stated that the American Ambassador had also visited the BB for this purpose. She was visibly perturbed on the last day giving a go ahead nod to the then Security Czars. he further stated that whenb he discussed this with BB, she told him that she had no other option and that she will discuss this whole sorry episode with him later on. It is also on record that she was never in favor of such an enterprise. This statement of Zafar Hilali is also very close to reality as it is a well known fact that PP and its leaders are secular politicians and had never been in favor of religiuos party and its religiuos militant extensions. Secondly, PPP has been a victim of all those in the Security Establishment and Religiuos Parties who are known for beligirence and against progressive thinking and political freedom in the country. Then how come BB or PPP for that matter, support the creation and support for Taliban.

    Secondly, you mentioned that Pushtun element in the Security Establishmenta nd the Religio-Political parties had their weay on the creation and support for the TAliban as all of the Taliban were Pushtuns. Also Pushtuns of Afghanistan, in the garb of Taliban, wanted to control Kabul, which was under the influence of Tajiks and other minorities. This a fake thinking based on wishful thinking and a figment of the thinking of those who do want to cloud reality in the garb of so many voices of confucion and misinformation. it is a reality that Pushtuns form only 4 % of the Army Cadre corpe and have never been in commond with regard to the formation and and coionception of policy. The allegy felt by the secuirty establishe,mnbet can weel be deciphred from the fact that All ISI chiefs during creation and sustennec of TAliban rule had ben punjabis. secondly, it may be true that some pushtun offices may have played a role during implememntation of the policy as it is known that low level officers are duty bound to perform their duties. But the "allegation" that Pushtun elements in Army and ISI had their way on Taliban, is a white lie and against the very policy of the state of pakistan.

    I think it suffice.

  12. Haibat Khan Niazi Avatar
    Haibat Khan Niazi

    Cmon, All those People who r against Pak Army !

    First look at urself.

    Look what ur so called democratic governments do when they are in power. Beleieve me or not one thing I can say for sure, that Pak Army will never take a single step which would not be in favour of this country. But ur political governments, would sell u and ur country for their personal benefits. You want examples, gift of IPPs from Benazir, gift of seperation of Bangladesh from Bhutto (and our poor illiterate people would put the blame on Pak Army, Lets leave Altaf Hussain, he doesn't even have the balls to come to Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudry, have u forgotten once he took oath himself from Musharaf under PCO, and the list goes on.

    I will not say that Pak Army is 100 % OK but in a comparison as a whole, it is far far better than other institutions. These ACs, DCs, EDOs, specially magistratets and civil judges are safely 80 % corrupt but on the other side Armed Forces are safely 80 % OK.

    So, please open ur minds.

    Regards to everyone.

  13. Akhtar Avatar
    Akhtar

    Pakistan Army is committing mistakes by repeated interference into the National politics and ignoring their own role of defending the nation ….But there are many dedicated and good people in it as well as in other Institutes of the country…

    But the Army Generals are the worst lot and totally sold out..Just read this Piece by Kamran Shafi ( an Ex army officer) and you will be amazed

    http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-

  14. Aamir Mughal Avatar

    On the night of Nov 27-28, 2009, my house in Wah, where my wife and daughter and I had come to celebrate Eidul Azha, was fired upon six times by a high velocity firearm, probably a Kalashnikov (on single shot mode) judging from the half-inch deep and two-inch across holes in the concrete wall of the bedroom above ours, possibly a Takharov 30 MM pistol, popularly known as ‘TT Pistol’ in the Land of the Pure. There is more: at exactly 17:33 on Nov 28, 2009, I received a telephone call from a woman speaking in uneducated Urdu and using a mobile phone (0300-274-9185). She asked if I was Kamran Shafi. When I said I was, she said that what had happened to me last night was just the ‘trailer’ and that the complete movie would also be shown.

    When I asked why any of this should happen, she said, ‘One does not spit in the plate one eats from’, and that if I was not careful about what I write I would soon see the complete movie. I am a pensioner of the Pakistan Army, getting the princely sum of Rs1,200 a month, by the way. FIR No 827 has been registered at the Wah Cantonment PS in which I have in an additional application said that I suspect an ‘agency’ of doing the deed. In it, up to our necks By Kamran Shafi

    Tuesday, 01 Dec, 2009 http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-

  15. Khan Pakistan Avatar
    Khan Pakistan

    Today Lt. Haider (now Capt.) is in ICU of CMH after getting a bullet in his neck during operation against terrorists. I heard that now he is recoving alHamdulillah. Mr. Ali Annan has already mended with him years ago. We should pray for the quick recovery of this brave soldier. We are greatly indepted to him for this sacrifice.