New Delhi: In a move considered unprecedented in Pakistan, former chief of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen (retd.) Faiz Hameed has been arrested. The army has also initiated court martial proceedings against him.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered his arrest in connection with a land development case as well as multiple violations of the Pakistan Army Act after his retirement.
“Complying with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a detailed court of inquiry, was undertaken by Pakistan Army, to ascertain the correctness of complaints in Top City case made against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd),” Pakistani daily Dawn quoted from ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations) press statement.
It also said, “Consequently, appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd), under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act.”
It further said, “In addition, multiple instances of violation of the Pakistan Army Act post-retirement have also been established. The process of Field General Court Martial has been initiated and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) has been taken into military custody.”
Lt Gen (retd.) Hameed was considered extremely powerful when he headed the spy agency from 2019 to 2021.
He took over the coveted post when the ISI chief and current Army chief Lt Gen Asim Munir was prematurely removed from the post. It was widely reported then that the then prime minister Imran Khan was not happy with Munir.
The ties between Hameed and the Army eventually soured, prompting the Army to remove him. The move to remove Hameed was strongly opposed by Imran Khan.
Later, Hameed was accused in the Top City case, after Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of the housing company, moved the Supreme Court accusing Hameed of misusing his authority. The case made headlines on November 8 last year.
In his petition, filed on May 12, 2017, Khan alleged that at the insistence of Hameed, ISI officials raided his offices and residence, and also seized gold, diamonds, money and other valuables.
Petitioner Khan also said both Hameed and his brother, Sardar Najaf, personally met him to resolve the issue. Khan alleged that ISI had extorted PKR 4 crore from him.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which heard the matter, sent the case to the ministry of defence for a probe.
In April this year, the army constituted a high-level inquiry committee, headed by an army major, to look into allegations against Hameed.
Meanwhile, Hameed had retired prematurely in November 2022, four months before his actual retirement date. He was close to then army chief General Qamar Bajwa. The post of ISI chief is considered the most powerful in the Pakistani army establishment, which ruled the country for more than half of its 76-year existence.
