Pak Brigadier held for terror link
The Pakistan Army has confirmed that a brigadier serving at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi has been taken into custody for alleged links with a banned militant group, the Hizbul Tehrir. Imtiaz Ahmad reports.
The Pakistan Army has confirmed that a brigadier serving at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi has been taken into custody for alleged links with a banned militant group, the Hizbul Tehrir.
Brigadier Ali Khan, posted with the Regulation Directorate at General Headquarters, was taken into custody over a month back.
On Tuesday, the Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Athar Abbas told the media that he was in custody for his links with the militant outfit.
Brigadier Khan would be the highest-ranking serving army officer arrested in a decade, say observers.
“We follow zero tolerance policy of such activities within the military therefore prompt action was taken on detection,” Abbas said told a news agency on Tuesday.
Hizbul Tehrir, or “Party of Liberation”, is a radical political group dedicated to reestablishing an Islamic Caliphate across the Muslim world. Its support base is largely limited to some students and professionals, say observers.
Local media quoted Khan’s family as saying that he had not returned home since May 6. Senior military officers had told the family that he had been held back to answer some questions and that he would return soon.
However, Khan’s family remained reluctant to talk to the media and approach the court for this case.