Ex-Army officials may be booked under Pak Official Secrets Act for revealing statements

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan military is closely evaluating a series of statements and interviews made by former Army officials in the recent past to ascertain whether they are guilty of breaching the Official Secrets Act of 1923 or not.

Sources said the military top brass is reviewing all such statements of the former defence officials which seemed to have disclosed secret military information.

“The matter is being considered and reviewed at the appropriate level,” defence officials said.

Officials said any violation, if proved, could lead to prosecution of the officials under the Official Secrets Act.

“They are bound to keep secrets as secrets, and they are not allowed to go around revealing things done while in active service,” The Daily Times quoted officials, as saying.

Legal experts said any official found guilty of violating the law could be prosecuted in a court of law.

When asked about the issue, senior lawyer SM Zafar said all former military officials were liable to be prosecuted under the act, but the final decision regarding framing the charges rests with the government.

“All of them are liable, but the nature of their crime is like sedition or treason only the government can proceed against them and prosecute them in a court of law,” Zafar said.

“Once it is established that they have violated the law, they all can be punished,” said another lawyer Abid Hassan Manto. (ANI)