Section 16 of the Pakistan Military Law and Manual of Pakistan:
This Law was a British Army Law which was adopted by both Pakistan and india after the Partition. This Law gives the Power and Authority to the Chief of Army Staff to fire any Army personnel without giving any reasons. The Chief won't face a court martial despite any irregularity. India changed this law and hence we see, that they have Court martialled Top generals but Pakistan Army kept this section to protect their top brass from any litigation.
Talking about his arrest, General (retired) Ziauddin said he was kept in custody for two years at the headquarters of the 111 Brigade. He said that he was told by a junior officer that he (Ziauddin) had been removed from service. Later, he added, he was given a hand-written order that he was removed under section 16 of the Pakistan Military Law and Manual of Pakistan Military Law but he was never court martialled.
According to Ziauddin, the removal orders of any senior officer are to be signed by the prime minister or the president. But his dismissal orders, which were sent to the then president, Rafiq Tarar, were not signed by the latter. Evidently, the dismissal orders must have been backdated and signed by Pervez Musharraf once he took over as president, he conjectured.
Ziauddin said that Musharraf confiscated his property and deprived him of his retirement benefits. The retired ISI chief today lives in a one-canal house owned by his wife. He claimed that for most of Musharraf’s tenure he lived under strict observation and surveillance and most of his former colleagues avoided meeting him.
I am not discussing General Ziauddin's role in the military coup but I am quite concerned that our Military has remained a "Holy Cow" despite so rapid changes around the globe. It's time that Pakistan Army change it's ways and become an accessible institution when it comes to corruption and irregularities.
What do you guys think?
