Ojhri Camp (Urdu: اوجھڑی کیمپ) is located in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. It was used as an ammunition depot for Afghan Mujahideen fighting against Soviet forces from Afghanistan. The camp exploded on April 10, 1988, killing more than 1,000 people [1][2] in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as a result of rockets and other munitions expelled by the blast.
US officials blamed sabotage for the explosion.[3] There was speculation that the explosion was done by Pakistani agents to cover up a pilferage of the weapons stocks, including Stinger missiles.[4] The true cause of the explosion remains a mystery.
The blast happened during tension between Pakistani President Mohammad Zia ul-Haq and Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. Zia had chosen Junejo as Prime Minister for his weak political personality, but differences between the two emerged as the Prime Minister tried to assert his authority as head of an elected government over such issues as top military appointments and Afghanistan.
First, they clashed over Zia's refusal to sign the Geneva Accords. Junejo had also organized a round table conference of opposition leaders to get his way. Secondly, Junejo challenged the appointment of two generals and also demanded that General Zia should quit as the army chief of staff, a position he held since 1976.
Junejo demanded punishment for the army generals responsible for the catastrophe while General Zia - who kept the portfolio of the Army Commander-in-Chief even after the lifting of martial law by extending his own term of office - could not afford to antagonize his constituency. The report blamed General Akhtar Abdur Rahman, Zia's most powerful ally and rumors were spread that the dump, which served as a store for US supplied arms for the Afghan "mujahedeen", had been blown up deliberately just before the arrival of a US defense audit team, to cover up the fact that some Stinger missiles had been sold off to other countries.
The final showdown took place on May 29, 1988.[5] President General Zia, under article 58(2B) of the amended constitution, dismissed Prime Minister Junejo's government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. In sacking Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo, who had just returned from Manila after a foreign tour. General Zia made the following allegations against the Junejo government:
  | Ojhri disaster saw end of Junejo govt: Report - Ojhri disaster saw end of Junejo govt: Report |
| | 20 years on, Ojhri Camp truth remains locked up - 20 years on, Ojhri Camp truth remains locked up -DAWN - National; April 11, 2008 |
|
|
Wikis
Map
Search
