ISLAMABAD: Court martial proceedings have not been initiated against
Brig Ali Khan arrested under the charges of having alleged links with
proscribed outfit Hizb ul Tehrir despite lapse of 17 days after his
arrest.
On inquiring by BBC, Maj Gen Athar Abbas, spokesperson
of Pakistan army confirmed that detained Brigadier had not been
formally charge sheeted so far, therefore proceedings of court martial
had not been started against him.
Col (Retd) Muhammad Akram,
former chief of JEG branch of Pakistan army was of the view that it was
compulsory to provide charge sheet within 32 days after an army
personal is detained for the purpose of court martial.
Maj Gen
Athar Abbas told the accused had been arrested after credible evidence
was found with regard to his links with Hizb ul Tehrir.
Denying
to acknowledge as illegal the act of keeping Brig Ali under detention
without serving him any charge sheet , Maj Gen Athar Abbas said the
period for issuing charge sheet could be extended in connection with
investigation and completion of legal formalities.
On the other side some workers of Hizb ul Tehrir have been arrested under the charges of inciting Brig Ali to mutiny.
When
asked about detention of some workers of banned Hizb ul Tehrir and
making them part of investigation into Brig Ali case, Maj Gen Athar
Abbas told BBC some other persons were also being investigated.
Spokesman
of defunct Hizb ul Tehrir, Naveed Butt told at least four workers of
the banned outfit had been arrested during the last few weeks from
Islamabad and Multan.
Naveed Butt told he did not know if his
associates from outfit had been arrested for their alleged links with
Brig Ali or any case had been registered against them.
Maj Gen
Athar Abbas declined to offer any comment on this count. However
certain sources had told BBC that service tenure of Brig Ali had been
extended for the purpose of his court martial. Service term of this
senior most Brig of Pakistan army had expired on April, 9 and no
notification in terms of extension in his service had been issued.
As
per army rules and regulations service tenure of the said officer
stands extended automatically in the event of non-issuance of
notification.
Legal experts are of the view that service term of Brig Ali has been extended for his trial under court martial. Online
