Sir: According to international media reports (including Washington Post and Aljazeera), 200 civilians have been killed in Afghan air force strikes (with laser guided bombs) in Kunduz province. Earlier several doctors and patients were killed there in a doctors-without-borders medical facility.
Even Hamid Karzai has condemned the killing. UN has ordered an investigation. The Afghan air force and their US trainers know that such attacks amount to war crimes. The trials taught what a lawful command is. As in pre-WW-II Germany, it is unlawful to kill unarmed civilians whether in Kashmir, Palestine, Pakistan (in drone attacks), or anywhere else.
Asghar Khan has explained on page 27 of his book we’ve learnt nothing from History what an unlawful command. While stationed in Hyderabad Sindh, during the ‘Hur disturbances’, and the Marshal Law of 1942, he was ordered personally by Maj. General Richardson, the Marshal Law Administrator Sindh, to lead a flight of aircraft and machine-gun the caravan of the Pir of Pagara which was moving east of Sanghar.
He took the flight of 4 aircrafts as ordered but when he saw that the camel caravan comprised unarmed men, women and children, he refused to carry out the orders and returned without firing a shot. When asked to explain, he told the General who was waiting at the airfield for their return `to shoot unarmed civilians was not a lawful command and he did not obey that. Again, after creation of Pakistan, Asghar refused to plunge PAF in Rann of Kutch skirmishes, as ordered by General Musa.
It is time the US and its allies refresh their knowledge of war crimes.
AMJED JAAVED
Rawalpindi
Published in Daily Times, April 5th 2018.