Pakistan army major gets life term for ‘kidnapping Baloch kid’ for ransom

BW News Web Desk: The Pakistan military’s (Inter-Services Public Relations) ISPR has confirmed that a serving officer of the army has been awarded life sentence for ‘misuse of power’ in Balochistan.

According to media sources, the major was tried at Field General Court Martial prior to sentence and he was found guilty of ‘misusing his authority’.

The independent Urdu has reported that ‘the army major in utter abuse of power abducted a young child [boy] for ransom from Noushki, Balochistan, in 2016 and then demanded Rs6.8million from the victim’s family.’

However, the boy was not even released after his family paid the money to the major. In fact, he demanded another Rs5 million which the family could no longer afford. In a state of utter helplessness, the family had no other option but to protest at Quetta press to demand justice.

The independent Urdu further reported that then Quetta Corps Commander Lt General Amir Riaz took notice of the incident and reported it to Field General Court Martial. He was then expelled from military service and sentenced to 25 years.

However, the convict filed a review appeal against the verdict in the General Headquarters Military Branch but the verdict was upheld by the authorities.

The decision of Court Martial was then referred to the recently extended army chief of army general Bajwa who also upheld the court martial’s decision and approved the imprisonment of the unnamed military major.

It is pertinent to mention that in November 2018 the mother of an abducted Baloch boy named Hafeez Baloch claimed that a top military officer demanded Rs 6.8 million for her son’s release.

She went on to say that the victim’s family sold their properties and borrowed money from friends to fulfil the military official’s demands. The family then handed over the money to major Naveed of Pakistan army.

But, Hafeez Baloch was not released despite the heavy amount that the family paid to major Naveed. Even though the ISPR confirmed sentencing of an official of the military, they did not reveal the whereabouts of the abducted Baloch youth Hafeez Baloch.

On the other hand, there are reports that major [Naveed] has been sentenced to life imprisonment because of his involvement in other serious military misconducts and bribery. The military is using the case of ‘a Baloch child’ to cover their internal differences and show to the world that Pakistan army is a well-wisher of the Baloch missing persons.