PM’s allegations stir ‘grievous consequences’: ISPRCommanders meet in emergencyTanvir Siddiqi
Rawalpindi—The prime minister’s recent interview to a Chinese daily may have “very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in statement issued on Wednesday.
“There can be no allegation more serious than what the Prime Minister has levelled against the COAS and DG ISI and has unfortunately charged the officers for violation of the Constitution of the Country,” the statement posted on ISPR’s website said.
The ISPR’s statement said that the prime minister’s statement “did not take into account” certain facts of the situation.
The statement said that the responses of the Army Chief and the DG ISI were forwarded to the Ministry of Defence and a letter was also dispatched to the Attorney-General and the Supreme Court informing them that “replies have been submitted to the Ministry of Defence.”
The statement moreover stated that: “Any expectation that COAS will not state the facts [of the memo case] is neither constitutional nor legal. Allegiance to state and the constitution is and will always remain prime consideration for the respondent, who in this case has followed the book.”
Meanwhile following the day’s developments, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also called an emergency Corps Commanders’ meeting.
The ISPR statement said the Prime Minister did not take into account important facts that the COAS and DG ISI were cited as Respondents in the Petitions and the Supreme Court served notices directly to the Respondents. This was not objected to by the Attorney General of Pakistan.
The responses by the respondents were sent to the Ministry of Defence for onward submission to the Supreme Court, through Attorney General (Law Ministry). A letter was also dispatched to the Attorney General of Pakistan and the Supreme Court of Pakistan informing that the replies have been submitted to the Ministry of Defence.
The ISPR statement pointed out that hat copies of the statements of the two Respondents were not forwarded directly to the Supreme Court.
It said responsibility for moving summaries and obtaining approvals of Competent Authority thereafter lay with the relevant ministries and not with the Respondents.
It was also highlighted that after a meeting between the Prime Minister and the COAS, the Prime Minister had publicly stated through a press release of 16th December 2011 that the replies submitted were “ in response to the notice of the Court through proper channel and in accordance with the rules of business.” No objections were raised before and thereafter, on the legality and constitutional status of the replies, at any time, during the last more than three weeks of hearing of the case by the Supreme Court.
The ISPR statement said, the COAS and DG ISI in their response to the Supreme Court were obliged to state facts as known to them, on the Memo Issue. The issue of jurisdiction and maintainability of the Petitions was between the Supreme Court and the Federation.
“Any expectation that COAS will not state the facts is neither constitutional nor legal” the ISPR release said.
01-11-12
