Ex-army officers sentenced for charges of inciting sedition

Major (rtd) Adil Farooq Raja and Captain (rtd) Haider Raza Mehdi, both former army officers were handed 14 and 12 years of jail sentence respectively following their Field General Court Martial for “inciting sedition”.

In a statement on Saturday, the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said both retired officers, who live abroad, were convicted and sentenced “under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 for the charges of inciting sedition among army personnel from discharge of duties and violation of the provisions of Official Secrets Act, 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the state”.

Major (rtd) Raja was awarded 14 years while Captain (rtd) Mehdi was awarded 12 years rigorous imprisonment.

“The court of competent jurisdiction convicted and adjudged both the individuals through due judicial process,” the statement added.

“Pursuant to the awarded sentence, the ranks of both officers have been forfeited on Nov 21, 2023.”

In June, a sedition case was registered against Mehdi, Raja and others for “inciting people to rebel against the state and attack defence institutions”.

Ramna police station registered the first information report (FIR) at the complaint of a citizen, Muhammad Aslam. Wajahat Saeed Khan and Adil Farooq Raja were also nominated in the FIR.

The FIR stated that they, “incited people against defence institutions and tried to create anarchy” in Pakistan.