The death sentence given to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in a treason case is unprecedented in Pakistan, where the army has ruled for almost half of the country’s history and continues to play an outsized role. The verdict by a special court, handed down in a case against Mr Musharraf for imposing emergency in 2007, has clearly embarrassed and angered the military. While opposing the sentence, the military said Mr Musharraf can never be a traitor.

Mr Musharraf had once famously remarked that Pakistan’s Constitution was just a piece of paper to be thrown in the dustbin. This cavalier attitude had characterised his years as both army chief and then Pakistan’s ruler, from the decision to send troops to occupy strategic heights in the Kargil sector, which led to a conflict with India, or his move to take on the judiciary in 2007, which ultimately led to his downfall.

Pakistan’s judiciary has had a complicated and complex relationship with both the military and the civilian government, sometimes adopting an unnecessary role as a power arbitrator. The death sentence will have far-reaching ramifications, and could trigger uncertainty, as Pakistan’s different power centres seek to assert themselves. It remains to be seen whether the verdict will send out a message that the generals can no longer interfere in politics and grab power, or whether the military, which in recent years, has begun shaping electoral outcomes to suit its needs instead of assuming power directly, will ensure it remains the dominant force. But it, nonetheless, represents a significant moment in the country’s complex polity.

Imtiaz Ahmad

letters@hindustantimes.com

Islamabad : A Pakistani court on Tuesday sentenced former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to death on charges of high treason and subverting the Constitution in a case related to the emergency he imposed in 2007, a move that comes as a major embarrassment for the army high command.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a former army chief has been sentenced to death. The powerful army, usually considered immune from prosecution, expressed its opposition to the verdict and said Musharraf can “never be a traitor”. The Imran Khan government said it would review the special court’s decision.

Musharraf, 76, was sentenced in absentia as he has been in self-imposed exile since a travel ban was lifted in 2016 to allow him to seek medical treatment abroad. The treason trial began in 2013 and is one of several cases related to the state of emergency from November 2007 to February 2008, when all civil liberties, human rights, and the democratic process were suspended.

The former president, who was born in Old Delhi, has been living in Dubai and is said to be very ill and unlikely to travel home to face the sentence. Pakistan and the UAE have no extradition treaty and Dubai authorities are unlikely to arrest him.

The special court said in a summary that it analysed complaints, records, arguments and facts, and reached a majority verdict, with two of the three judges giving the decision against Musharraf.

The military’s media arm said the verdict has been received “with a lot of pain and anguish by rank and file of Pakistan Armed Forces”. It added: “An ex-Army Chief, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee and President of Pakistan, who has served the country for over 40 years, fought wars for the defence of the country can surely never be a traitor.”

The military further said the “due legal process seems to have been ignored, including constitution of the special court, denial of fundamental right of self defence, undertaking individual specific proceedings and concluding the case in haste”.

It added that Pakistan’s armed forces “expect that justice will be dispensed in line with the Constitution”.

Musharraf would have the right to challenge his sentence if he returns to Pakistan, where the military maintains a strong grip on power and has ruled the country for half its 72-year history. The case was heard by a bench comprising justices Waqar Ahmad Seth of the Peshawar high court, Shahid Karim of the Lahore high court and Nazar Akbar of the Sindh high court.

Imtiaz Ahmad

letters@hindustantimes.com

Islamabad : Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf will be remembered in the context of India-Pakistan relations as much for his four-point formula for settling the Kashmir issue as his foolhardy attempt to internationalise the matter through the intrusion in the Kargil sector of the Line of Control (LoC).

Musharraf, who was sentenced to death by a special court on Tuesday on charges of high treason, is remembered fondly by many Pakistanis for reviving the country’s economy and his bold initiatives in domestic policy.

During his tenure, Pakistanis saw an increase in economic activity on the back of low interest rates which led a boom in the real estate sector and consumer spending. Most Pakistanis were unaware that much of this largesse came from American aid as a result of the partnership in the post 9/11 scenario.

Musharraf also made bold foreign policy moves, including his overture to India to resolve the Kashmir issue through a four-point formula.

It envisaged demilitarisation along the LoC by scaling down the number of troops on both sides of the ceasefire line, free movement of people across the LoC, local self-governance or greater autonomy in both parts of Kashmir without independence and a joint supervision mechanism involving both countries and the Kashmiris.

The formula was drawn up in the wake of Musharraf’s efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue through the Kargil campaign in 1999, when Pakistani troops occupied strategic heights along the LoC and triggered a conflict with India.

Though Pakistan initially claimed mujahideen were responsible for occupying the heights, Musharraf subsequently acknowledged in his autobiography In The Line Of Fire that regular troops were part of the operation.

Analysts say it was Musharraf’s overconfidence that eventually led to his downfall. His deal with politicians to wipe away their past sins under the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) did not go down well with the military establishment.

Musharraf’s troubles started in 2007, after he tried to sack sitting Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who started hearings into “missing persons” or victims of enforced disappearances, causing unease to the military.

Despite different initiatives, it was his troubled attempts at gaining political recognition that led to his downfall.

Once in power, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif went after Musharraf in response to how he was treated when he was ousted from power by the former army chief in 1999.

Batala : Five persons robbed a car, a Hyundai Verna, from an ex-serviceman at gunpoint near Divine Will Public school on Batala-Amritsar bypass on Wednesday.

As per information, victim Harjeet Singh, 40, resident of Hasanpura, along with his son was going to the school to pick his wife, who teaches in the school, but as he entered the highway, a white Verna car overtook his vehicle. They intercepted the retired army man’s vehicle by barging their vehicle in front of his car. “Three persons stepped out of the car and two of them pointed pistols at me. They tried to pull me out of the car, but I resisted and tried to drive away. The other accused pointed a pistol at my son, following which I got out and gave the keys to them,” said Harjeet. HTC

HT Correspondent

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

FEROZEPUR : A 70-feet Vijay Stambh will be established at Asafwala War Memorial, Fazilka, to mark the sacrifices of soldiers who attained martyrdom during the 1971 Indo-Pak war at the Fazilka Sector, said Punjab health & family welfare minister Balbir Singh Sidhu. Sidhu also paid homage to the martyrs during a special programme organised on Vijay Diwas.

“The state government will provide every possible help to the ‘Samadh Committee’ to build the Vijay Stambh at martyrs’ memorial,” said Sidhu.

The minister also honoured the family members of martyred soldiers and ex-servicemen and provided ₹5,000 each to 35 families of martyrs.

Thanking the committee for organising the event, he said it is because of brave soldiers that we sleep in peace and have our freedom and it is our duty to honour them and their families on such occasions. Deputy commissioner Manpreet Chattwal said that district administration is committed to provide financial help to the committee.

HT Correspondents

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

JAMMU : Rifleman Sukhwinder Singh, 21, of Mukerian was martyred when Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on Monday.

“Rifleman Sukhwinder belonged to Fatehpur village in Mukerian teshsil of Hoshiarpur district. He was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty,” said defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand.

“The Indian Army responded effectively inflicting substantial damage to the Pakistan army,” he added.

Though the Indian Army claimed it to be an infiltration bid that was foiled, sources said half a dozen members of the border action team (BAT) of Pakistan army, comprising commandos of the special service group and terrorists, attempted to inflict casualties on the Indian Army posts in the area.

Another soldier, havaldar Chougule Jotiba Ganpati, was martyred in Pakistan shelling in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in Kashmir on Monday.

MOTHER UNAWARE

Relatives have so far not shared the news of rifleman Sukhwinder’s death with his widowed mother Rani.

A spokesman of the Indian Army had rung up the family on Monday evening to inform them of their son’s martyrdom but held back the news when Sukhwinder’s mother came on the line. Later, he called up another relative and informed that Sukhwinder had made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

Villagers started pouring in to extend condolences to the family but no one was allowed to reach the martyr’s mother who stays in a house at a distance from the main habitation.

The martyr’s brother, Gurpal Singh, 22, said, “I don’t have the heart to disclose the unfortunate news to her. Sukhwinder’s body will reach tomorrow (Wednesday). Before that, may be one of my aunts will break the news to her.”

Gurpal, who is unemployed, said their father, Avinesh Kumar, had died a few years ago and Sukhwinder was the sole breadwinner. He said Sukhwinder had joined the 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 2017.

(With inputs from Hoshiarpur)

J&K cross-border shelling: Slain soldier’s mortal remains to reach native village in Mukerian today

This is the second death of a soldier from Mukerian subdivision in past one month. On November 19, Dimpal Kumar (21) of Saidon village had died in Siachen glacier after an avalanche hit the area.

ukhwinder is survived by his mother, Santosh Kumari, and 22-year old elder brother.

The mortal remains of Rifleman Sukhwinder Singh (21), who was killed in cross-border shelling on Monday at Sunderbani sector in Jammu’s Rajouri district, will reach his native village Fatehpur in Mukerian sub-division in Hoshiarpur on Wednesday afternoon. The family was informed about his death only on Monday late.

This is the second death of a soldier from Mukerian subdivision in past one month. On November 19, Dimpal Kumar (21) of Saidon village had died in Siachen glacier after an avalanche hit the area.

Sukhwinder, meanwhile, is survived by his mother, Santosh Kumari, and 22-year old elder brother.

His uncle, Swaran Singh, said that Sukhwinder’s father, late Avinesh Kumar Singh, had died in 2007. He was employed with the Punjab State Electricity Board. Sukhwinder’s mother had looked after both the children who were very young, added Swaran Singh.

Sukwinder had joined Army two-and-a-half years back after doing his Class 12 from Government Senior Secondary School, Talwara. His brother has also done Class 12 and is now looking for a job after finishing his studies. The family owns around a half-acre farmland.

“We were first informed by the Army officials that he got injured and then we got a call that he was killed in the shelling and a shell hit him in his head,” said Swaran Singh, adding that they were told that Sukhwinder was part of a patrolling team when the mishap took place.

He recalled that Sukhwinder, who had joined the Indian Army in April 2017, has come home last month and had returned on November 22 after spending two weeks’ at his native village.

Station House Officer (SHO) Talwara, Inspector Bhushan Sekhri, said that they informed the family after getting the information from the district authorities.

According to the press released by the Army authorities, Pakistan carried out an unprovoked ceasefire violation on the LoC in Sunderbani sector and Army responded effectively inflicting substantial damage to Pakistan Army. It is further said that Rifleman Sukhwinder Singh was a brave, highly motivated and sincere soldier, adding that the nation will always remain indebted to him for his supreme sacrifice and devotion to the duty.

Rezaul H Laskar

letters@hindustantimes.com

New Delhi : France and other permanent members of the UN Security Council on Tuesday thwarted an effort by China, acting on behalf of Pakistan, to discuss the situation in Kashmir, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

China pushed for a meeting of the UN Security Council behind closed doors — the second such effort since an earlier meet on the Kashmir issue on August 16. At that time, China’s attempt to have an open and formal meeting of the Security Council was rebuffed by members of the body, which agreed to hold only “closed consultations”.

The people cited above said France and other permanent members of the Security Council conveyed to China the body was the not the best forum to discuss the Kashmir issue, which ought to be handled bilaterally by India and Pakistan. Non-permanent members of the council, such as Germany and Poland, too, showed no inclination for a discussion on Kashmir, they said.

The Chinese side subsequently withdrew its note seeking the meeting on Kashmir, the people added. “Kashmir will not be discussed in the Security Council today (Tuesday),” said one of them, a French official.

“Our (France’s) position has been very clear — the Kashmir issue has to be treated bilaterally. We have highlighted this several times recently, including in New York,” this person added. The closed consultations on August 16 marked the first time the Security Council took up the “India-Pakistan Question” — the UN’s term for the Kashmir issue — since 1971. Pakistan has been lobbying with China to take up the Kashmir issue in the Security Council since India revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir on August 5 and decided to split it into two Union territories.

In a letter sent to the Security Council on December 12, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed concern about a possible escalation of tensions in Kashmir. According to Reuters, China’s UN mission had written in its note to members of the Security Council: “In view of the seriousness of the situation and the risk of further escalation, China would like to echo the request of Pakistan, and request a briefing of the Council… on the situation of Jammu & Kashmir.” The discussion would not have involved a vote.