Security personnel involved in cross-border smuggling to be court martialed : Sarfraz Bugti

Caretaker governemnt asserts stance on Hawala Hundi and dollar smuggling
smuggling of wheat, sugar, petroleum products to be completely stopped

The interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti along Information Minister Murtaza Solangi in a press conference stated that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir had told military personnel that whoever is found involved in illegal cross-border trade would face the music.

“Pakistan’s army chief had told his people very clearly: there won’t only be court-martials, but those involved in such activities would also be sent to jail,” the interior minister mentioned.

He told reporters that the army’s accountability mechanism is not made public and that’s why it is not in the knowledge of the masses.

“But the army has its own accountability [system], and we have not just seen it in this instance, but post-May 9 as well,” the interim interior minister noted.

The Interim Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti on Monday, adding that “you will see changes in the days to come”.Bugti, flanked by Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, was addressing a press conference in Islamabad on the interim government’s performance thus far.

His remarks come days after deadly bombings in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on the occasion of Eid Miladun Nabi.

No matter the kind of violence, “our security forces have the capacity and they have won the fight against terrorism by demonstrating courage,” added the interim minister.

“Only the state can exercise violence and this is our consensus. There is zero tolerance for it. You will see changes in days to come,” he vowed, adding that Pakistan was committed to eliminating all terrorists.

“If someone wants to impose their agenda through gunpoint, they are mistaken. Only the Constitution will prevail,” said Bugti.

He added that the recent attacks were not “unexpected” as the country had become a “hardened state” and this “reaction was due”.