Top Pakistan military officer sentenced to death in espionage case

New Delhi, May 31: A top Pakistani army officer has been sentenced to death in, while another has been awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment on charges of espionage and leaking sensitive information to foreign agencies.

A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, "Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has endorsed the death sentence to a retired army officer and a civilian and rigorous imprisonment to one army officer on charges of "espionage/leakage of sensitive information to foreign agencies prejudice to the national security."

The statement further said that the officers were tried under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act by separate Field General Court Marshal for separate cases.

Those who were convicted include, Lieutenant General (retd) Javed Iqbal, Brigadier (retd) Raja Rizwan, and Dr Wasim Akram, an employee at a sensitive organisation.

Lieutenant General (retd) Javed Iqbal was awarded 14 years imprisonment while
Brigadier (retd) Raja Rizwan, and Dr Wasim Akram were both awarded death sentences.

While the ISPR did not spell out further details, its Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor had confirmed the arrests on February 22 this year.