- Probe continues against retired officers, accomplices for fomenting instability in collusion with vested interests: ISPR
ISLAMABAD: Three more retired officers have been taken into custody for their actions “prejudicial to military discipline,” in connection with the ongoing court martial proceedings against former DG ISI Lt-Gen (r) Faiz Hameed, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement on Thursday, “further investigations of certain retired officers and their accomplices for fomenting instability at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests are continued.”
Without revealing the names and ranks of the detained officers, the military’s media wing statement hinted at more arrests.
The news of more arrests came a day after Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir invited retired army officers including some former chiefs to take them into confidence about the recent actions. Former army chiefs, including Gen (r) Ashfaq Pervaz Kayani and Gen (r) Raheel Sharif were present at the event hosted by the army chief and certain others, including Gen Munir’s immediate predecessor Gen (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa were conspicuous by his absence.
The latest arrest came just days after in an unprecedented move, the country’s former spymaster was detained by military authorities and court martial proceedings were initiated against him on charges of corruption, misuse of authority and violating the Pakistan Army Act.
“Complying with the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan, a detailed court of inquiry was undertaken by Pakistan Army, to ascertain correctness of complaints in Top City case made against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (retd). Consequently, appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against Lt General Faiz Hameed (retd), under provisions of Pakistan Army Act,” read a statement issued by the military’s media wing on Monday.
“In addition, multiple instances of violation of 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,” the statement added.
The charges against Gen Faiz date back to May 2017 when he was DG-C in the ISI.
In April, the army constituted a high-level inquiry committee headed by a major general to look into the allegations against Gen Faiz, following orders of the Supreme Court and directives of the Ministry of Defence.
This was the first formal inquiry ordered against Gen Faiz, who resigned in November 2022 four months before his retirement date. Gen Faiz served as DG C in the ISI and later headed the spy agency. His name surfaced in many controversies including the Faizabad Dharna case. Three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif named him and Gen Bajwa as main characters behind his removal through a Supreme Court decision.
Top City Case Against Gen (r) Faiz Hameed
On November 8, 2023, Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of Top City, filed a petition in the Supreme Court against Gen (r) Faiz Hameed, accusing him of misuse and abuse of authority.
The petitioner submitted the apex court that on May 12, 2017, on the behest of General Faiz Hameed, ISI officials raided the top city office and his house. During the raid, valuables, including gold, diamonds and money, were seized from the house by ISI officials, the petitioner alleged.
The petition also claimed that later the general personally met him to resolve the issue, in which he assured that some of the items which had been taken away by the ISI officials during the raid would be returned. However, 400 tolas of gold and cash will not be returned to him.
‘Ex-ISI chief an “asset” to military was wasted’
On the other hand, the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder had distanced himself from Gen (r) Faiz Hameed following his arrest. He had termed the arrest and ongoing court martial proceedings against the former DG ISI “internal matter of the Pakistan Army.”
On Thursday, however, Imran Khan called the former ISI chief an “asset” to the military who was wasted.
In an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail, he mentioned that the military was investigating Gen Faiz, which was their internal matter. “It’s their internal matter, what do I have to do with it? Khan told reporters while replying a question.
He further stated that if the former spymaster cab be held accountable and proceeded against, then everyone should be held accountable.
The former premier also claimed that former army chief Gen Bajwa had removed Gen Faiz from ISI at the request of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.
The PTI founder also recalled that there was a heated exchange between him and Gen Bajwa over the removal of Gen Faiz as ISI chief.
