Thaindian News

Islamabad, June 23 (IANS) Four Pakistan Army majors have been questioned for purported links with a banned group that seeks to oust pro-Western regimes in Muslim lands, raising concerns about Islamist influence in the armed forces.

The dramatic development comes two days after the arrest of Brigadier Ali Khan from the army headquarters in Rawalpindi. He is reportedly the highest ranking military officer to be detained for keeping in touch with suspected Islamists.

All five have been linked to Hizb-ut-Tahrir, widely known as HT, which is outlawed in Pakistan but does not engage in militancy.

The group has not overtly supported violence and has no ostensible connections to Al Qaeda but it calls for the restoration of the Caliphate and the overthrow of corrupt and pro-Western governments in Muslim countries.

“Four officers are being questioned for their alleged links with HT,” Inter-Services Public Relations director general Major General Athar Abbas told the Pakistan Broadcasting Corp.

Unlike Brig Khan, these four officers were not posted at the General Headquarters.

The Dawn quoted Gen Abbas as saying that the trend of infiltration of the army by extremist groups could be “harmful for (the) entire nation and national security”.

Military sources cited by the daily feared that the brigadier and the four majors could be part of a larger plot.

The latest development led the Dawn to ask the Pakistan Army to do “some serious soul searching”.

An editorial said: “Radicalization within the ranks of Pakistan’s armed forces is an issue of major concern, especially considering that the nation is currently in the midst of quelling a militant insurgency.

“The arrest of Brig Khan … should raise the alarm within the security establishment regarding the penetration of radical groups in the ranks,” it added.

Although the army had said that Brig Khan’s case was “an exception”, the daily said: “We’re not so sure.”

“In the past, several serving or former armed forces personnel have reportedly been involved in acts of terrorism.

“Two army officers were reportedly court-martialled for their HT links in 2010 while a former navy commando was picked up from Lahore for allegedly aiding the (Karachi) PNS Mehran attackers.”

The reference was to last month’s terrorist attack on a major naval base in Karachi that left 10 people dead and probably led to the murder of leading Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad.

Dawn said: “So clearly, the forces have a problem with encroaching extremism. Many of the arrested men, mostly serving in the army and air force, had links to extremist Islamist groups.

“It is time for the army to do some serious soul-searching.

“If a serving brigadier can be co-opted, what is the extent of extremist infiltration in the lower ranks?” it wondered.

“The high command needs to intelligently counter the rising radical trend. A thorough cleansing is needed… It is a challenge the army must take up.”