Islamabad, Pretr. A military court in Pakistan has sentenced the son of a former Major General to five years in prison for writing a critical letter against Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and sending copies of it to senior army officers.
According to official sources, Hasan Askari, a computer engineer, in a letter purportedly written in September last year criticized General Bajwa’s extension in his tenure as army chief, criticized his policies and asked him to step down. .
Askari also sent copies of his letter to various major generals and lieutenant generals. Her father Zafar Mahdi Askari has served as a two-star general in the Pakistan Army.
Askari was accused of inciting military officials against the top command. In July this year, he was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment by a Field General Court Martial. His case was heard at Gujranwala Cantonment and after his conviction he was sent to the high security jail in Sahiwal.
No official announcement was made regarding the trial and sentence. The latest information about him came to light recently after a petition filed by the father in the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court.
The petitioner, challenging the sentence, alleged that his son was not given a lawyer of his choice during the trial. He also urged that he be shifted to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
