Alleged links to banned outfit: four majors under investigation: ISPR

Army said Wednesday that four more officers were being investigated on suspicion of links to banned Hizb ut-Tahrir. Military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told AFP that the majors were not under arrest. On Wednesday, the army confirmed that a serving brigadier from its headquarters had been arrested for alleged links to Hizbut-Tahrir.
"Four majors are under investigation for their alleged links with the same organisation," said Abbas, declining to go into further details. Brigadier Ali Khan was detained days after US Navy SEALs found and killed Osama bin Laden in the military town of Abbottabad, reviving disturbing questions about ignorance or complicity within Pakistan's powerful military.
Our staff reporter from Islamabad adds: Pakistan army confirmed on Wednesday that it has questioned four more senior serving army officers for their alleged contacts with the banned militant group Hizb-ut-Tahrir. The Director General, ISPR said that the four army officers of major rank were held for their illegal contact with a banned organisation and were under investigation. A special military investigation team is questioning them. They will face the same charges applied in case of a serving Brigadier Ali Khan if their link with the banned organisation is proved.
The ISPR confirmed that the charges framed against Brigadier Ali Khan have been proved and now he is under detention. He was found involved in unlawful activities, which was against armed forces discipline. All the officers were arrested after the US Navy Seal operation in Abbottabad which killed Osama bin Laden on May 2.
However, ISPR said that in big institutions like army, the presence of such elements could not be ruled out but it did not mean that a large number of Pak army personnel were associated with the militant groups in any way. This impression, he said, needed to be removed.
He said army being a disciplined organisation has a strict internal control system and immediate action is taken against such elements as they cannot afford harm to national security institutions. He also said that a National Inquiry Commission set up by the federal government would be extended full support in carrying out its investigation to find out the circumstances which led to the US Navy Seal operation in Abbottabad. Army does not intend to hide anything.