RAWALPINDI (DNA) – Two senior army officers and a civilian, charged with espionage on May 30, have been handed over to civilian jail authorities, according to director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). “Three officers sentenced on 30 May 2019 have been handed over to civil jail authorities,” DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Twitter. He said the officers had been immediately arrested upon intelligence about their involvement in espionage. They remained under the military‘s custody throughout their trials, the DG ISPR added. On Thursday, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Genral Qamar Javed Bajwa endorsed the punishment to two army and one civil officer over charges of espionage and leakage of sensitive information to foreign agencies prejudice to the national security. In a statement issued by the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), the officers were tried under the Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and Official Secret Act by separate Field General Court Martial (FGCM) for separate cases. Lieutenant General (r) Javed Iqbal has been awarded 14-year harsh imprisonment, while Brigadier (r) Raja Rizwan has awarded death sentence. Both officials had leaked sensitive information to foreign agencies prejudice to the national security. Doctor Wasim Akram, who was employed at a sensitive organization, has also been awarded the death sentence. Some 400 officers of every rank have been given various punishments, including dismissal from service, during the last two years.

Later, Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor said that an effective and strict accountability process exist in armed forces which is evident from the cases disposed of by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Genral Qamar Javed Bajwa. Major General Asif Ghafoor said that in three separate cases, a retired three-star army general, a brigadier and a civil officers were severely punished according to the nature of their crimes. The DG ISPR further said that money earned through espionage or money laundering comes under corruption. He said that there is no forgiveness in armed forces as all are accountable. He further said that no one is above the law.