Pak Army Chief General Asim Munir Booked in London After Complaints By Pakistani Diaspora

London: A case has been registered against Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah in United Kingdom after complaints made by the members of the Pakistani diaspora. The London’s Metropolitan Police registered the case on the complaints by the Pakistani diaspora for attack on protestors, including the use of live rounds during the Islamabad massacre last year in November.

Barrister Michael Polak has said that after knowing the Pakistan Army Chief was in London, he formally written to the Attorney General for England and Wales and requested consent to prosecute General Amir Munir for torture and crimes against humanity in relation to the ‘Islamabad Massacre’ carried out against protestors on November 25 and 26.

Polak said that on November 25 and 26, people in Pakistan travelled from various parts of the country to launch a protest against the federal government led by Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad against the state of democracy in Pakistan.

When the protesters were marching towards the central government in Islamabad, they were fired upon by live rounds in which many died and injured.

The Army opened fire on civilians after the Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in a public statement asked, "Rangers have to open fire for 5 minutes and after that there won't be anyone visible there,” Barrister Polak shared in a post shared on Church Court Chambers.

Endorsing what Army Chief directed his rangers to do, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that this was the first time in the history of Pakistan when the Army Staff joined them with heart and soul as they couldn’t have done without him.

Shehbaz Sharif had further boasted that all the government enforcement agencies worked together and eliminate the protestors.

Under which section Pakistani Army Chief has been booked in London?

A case has been filed against Pakistani Army Chief General Amir Munir to privately prosecute for torture, an offence under British law s134 Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Crimes against Humanity under the International Criminal Court Act 2001.

The case has been referred to SO15 the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) which investigates war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and torture.

“There is a lot of evidence in relation to the alleged crimes that took place during the Islamabad Massacre where live rounds were used against protestors. This evidence establishes a prima facie case for General Munir’s criminal responsibility for torture and crimes against humanity which are offences under English law,” Barrister Michael Polak said.

“We have made an urgent request to the Attorney General for his consent to privately prosecute, given that General Munir is currently in the United Kingdom, as well as referring the matter to the Metropolitan Police’s specialist team,” the Barrister added

“The evidence should be considered objectively by the Courts and all of General Munir’s fair trial rights will be protected,” he said. 

Pak journalists who covered the massacre were detained, arrested 

Not just the protestors but media personnel and journalists who covered the massacre in November in Islamabad and showed pictures, videos of injured civilians from hospitals and released footages of how the Pakistani Army rangers opened fire on them were also detained and arrested.

Pakistani Army Chief, who is the chief of rangers, had reportedly said that anyone who will go against the government will be punished by chopping their hands and legs.