Pakistani soldiers warned of court martial over cross-border smuggling with Afghanistan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's powerful army chief has warned that the military officials involved in cross-border smuggling will face arrests and court martials, said the country's caretaker interior minister on Monday.

Addressing a news conference in the capital Islamabad, Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti said army chief Gen. Asim Munir has told “his people” that security personnel involved in cross-border smuggling would be arrested and court-martialed.

The warning came on the heels of an ongoing crackdown on illegal dollar trade, and smuggling of sugar and wheat into neighboring Afghanistan that caused the local currency to depreciate to record lows and massive hike in prices of essential commodities.

The US dollar, last month, crossed Rs335 in the open market before it came down to Rs286 following the nationwide crackdown against money exchange companies and dealers involved in illegal dollar outflows.

“Pakistan’s army chief has told his people very clearly that there won’t only be court martials, but those involved in such activities would also be sent to jail,” Bugti said responding to a question.