Pak may have violated Geneva Convention more than once

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 2

The visibly doctored videos of the now-released IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman have given rise to suspicion that Pakistan may have violated the Geneva Convention more than once while he was in its brief custody.

The video where the imprisoned pilot has been made to praise Pakistani hospitality vitiates a mother article of the Geneva Convention, said sources. Called Common Article 3, which applies to all the four Geneva Conventions, it also prohibits any form of derogation, which is clear from another video where Abhinandan lookalike is seen joyously dancing with Pakistani officers.

But if the results of the ongoing medical tests determine that he was injected with a drug, Pakistan would have violated Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention that deals with prisoners of war on land. This article also prohibits any medical experiment which is not justified by the medical treatment of the PoW.

Pakistan may have violated Article 13 on one count already since it failed to protect Abhinandan from insults and public curiosity by preparing videos while he was in Pakistan’s custody. “If a PoW is shown being beaten up, even that is against the Geneva Convention,” said the source.

The Ministry of External Affairs has called the videos and his manhandling by civilians in the presence of army personnel a “vulgar display of the injured IAF personnel… a violation of all norms of the International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention”.

However, Pakistan has violated the Geneva Convention several times in the past but India failed to take the case to its logical conclusion. In the case of Squadron Ldr Ajay Ahuja, who was captured by Pakistan during the Kargil War, the government did not show any inclination to pursue the case after both countries resumed talks. Ahuja, according to a post-mortem done after his body was returned, was killed in cold blood with bullets fired at a close range at his temple and chest.

Various counts… 

• Abhinandan was made to praise Pakistani hospitality, vitiating Common Article 3
• His lookalike is seen joyously dancing with Pakistani officers, in violation of Article 3 that also prohibits any form of derogation
• If results of ongoing medical tests determine he was injected with a drug, Pakistan would have violated Article 13
• He is subjected to insults and public curiosity as his videos are recorded while in custody, in violation of Article 13

2 Pak soldiers killed in Indian firing

Islamabad: The Pakistan army said on Saturday two of its soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire with Indian forces near the Line of Control. The soldiers were killed in the Nakiyal sector of the LoC, it said. PTI