Under pressure
COAS orders probe into controversial video amidst US warnings that billions of dollars in aid would be at stake.
ISLAMABAD:
In the midst of seemingly souring relations between Islamabad and Washington, the United States has quietly warned the Pakistan military to come clean on the charges of some of its personnel’s involvement in extra-judicial killings - or else the billions of dollars it is getting in aid from Washington could grind to a halt.
The US warning was followed by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ordering on Friday an inquiry into video clips that show men in military uniforms shooting down a group of handcuffed and blindfolded detainees.
US laws prohibit aid to foreign militaries if they are found involved in committing gross human rights violations.
Last week, US Ambassador Anne Patterson spoke to Gen Kayani about the video clips, and asked for a thorough probe into the incident.
US Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire confirmed that Patterson did contact Gen Kayani after the video clips surfaced on the internet.
The two discussed the issue in detail, he told The Express Tribune.
Refusing to share what transpired in the meeting, the spokesman said that Gen Kayani’s decision to order an inquiry was a ‘welcome and positive’ step.
Another American diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the US was concerned about these video clips, as it could not tolerate such human rights abuses.
“We don’t need to remind the Pakistan military about US laws. They are very much aware of the consequences,” he remarked when asked if the Americans had threatened to suspend Pakistan military aid over the controversy.
Analysts, however, are sceptical about the possibility of the US actually going to the extent of suspending military aid to Pakistan at a time when its battle against the Taliban enters a decisive phase in the region. And Pakistan military has to play a crucial role in it, they add.
On the other hand, a Pakistan military official confirmed that Gen Kayani’s move to order an inquiry was aimed at demonstrating to the US that the Army had ‘zero-tolerance’ for such violations of human rights.
“The US warning to suspend aid is a pressure tactic and we are very well aware of it,” the official added.
He said the Army chief’s decision is also linked to the forthcoming Pak-US strategic dialogue in Washington, where the American officials are expected to take up this issue.
The Gen Kayani-constituted inquiry to probe the authenticity of the video will be headed by a major-general, and will include two or three senior officers who have experience in investigating such incidents, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement released on Friday.
However, the names of the board members were not included in the statement. It further said that the inquiry committee will be provided all necessary technical expertise.
The ISPR said that the COAS, while referring to the Command Directive on the issue of Human Rights and Extrajudicial Killings, has stated that such violations of his orders, if true, will not be tolerated.
“It is not expected of a professional army to engage in excesses against people whom it is trying to guard against the scourge of terrorism,” the army chief said, according to the ISPR.
Kayani expressed his determination to take the strictest possible disciplinary action against the perpetrators, if identified to be soldiers of the Pakistan Army, adding that such incidents were unacceptable under any circumstances.
In the strongly-worded but carefully written statement, the army chief also cautioned against reaching hasty conclusions about the involvement of soldiers from the army.
He pointed out that in order to malign the army, terrorists have been disguising themselves as soldiers - something that was also seen during an attack on the Army headquarters.
Gen Kayani also directed commanders at all levels to be vigilant and follow a zero tolerance policy in such cases.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2010.
In the midst of seemingly souring relations between Islamabad and Washington, the United States has quietly warned the Pakistan military to come clean on the charges of some of its personnel’s involvement in extra-judicial killings - or else the billions of dollars it is getting in aid from Washington could grind to a halt.
The US warning was followed by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ordering on Friday an inquiry into video clips that show men in military uniforms shooting down a group of handcuffed and blindfolded detainees.
US laws prohibit aid to foreign militaries if they are found involved in committing gross human rights violations.
Last week, US Ambassador Anne Patterson spoke to Gen Kayani about the video clips, and asked for a thorough probe into the incident.
US Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire confirmed that Patterson did contact Gen Kayani after the video clips surfaced on the internet.
The two discussed the issue in detail, he told The Express Tribune.
Refusing to share what transpired in the meeting, the spokesman said that Gen Kayani’s decision to order an inquiry was a ‘welcome and positive’ step.
Another American diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the US was concerned about these video clips, as it could not tolerate such human rights abuses.
“We don’t need to remind the Pakistan military about US laws. They are very much aware of the consequences,” he remarked when asked if the Americans had threatened to suspend Pakistan military aid over the controversy.
Analysts, however, are sceptical about the possibility of the US actually going to the extent of suspending military aid to Pakistan at a time when its battle against the Taliban enters a decisive phase in the region. And Pakistan military has to play a crucial role in it, they add.
On the other hand, a Pakistan military official confirmed that Gen Kayani’s move to order an inquiry was aimed at demonstrating to the US that the Army had ‘zero-tolerance’ for such violations of human rights.
“The US warning to suspend aid is a pressure tactic and we are very well aware of it,” the official added.
He said the Army chief’s decision is also linked to the forthcoming Pak-US strategic dialogue in Washington, where the American officials are expected to take up this issue.
The Gen Kayani-constituted inquiry to probe the authenticity of the video will be headed by a major-general, and will include two or three senior officers who have experience in investigating such incidents, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement released on Friday.
However, the names of the board members were not included in the statement. It further said that the inquiry committee will be provided all necessary technical expertise.
The ISPR said that the COAS, while referring to the Command Directive on the issue of Human Rights and Extrajudicial Killings, has stated that such violations of his orders, if true, will not be tolerated.
“It is not expected of a professional army to engage in excesses against people whom it is trying to guard against the scourge of terrorism,” the army chief said, according to the ISPR.
Kayani expressed his determination to take the strictest possible disciplinary action against the perpetrators, if identified to be soldiers of the Pakistan Army, adding that such incidents were unacceptable under any circumstances.
In the strongly-worded but carefully written statement, the army chief also cautioned against reaching hasty conclusions about the involvement of soldiers from the army.
He pointed out that in order to malign the army, terrorists have been disguising themselves as soldiers - something that was also seen during an attack on the Army headquarters.
Gen Kayani also directed commanders at all levels to be vigilant and follow a zero tolerance policy in such cases.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2010.