Ex-spymaster Gen Faiz arrested, court martial process begins

RAWALPINDI: Former Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed has been taken into military custody and process of Field General Court Martial also initiated against him.

Faiz was taken into custody in the light of findings of the court of inquiry, which was constituted by the army while complying with orders of the Supreme Court to ascertain correctness of complaints of a housing society.

Complying with the apex court orders, a detailed court of inquiry was undertaken by the Pakistan Army, to ascertain correctness of complaints in Top City case made against Faiz Hameed, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said.

Consequently, appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, under provisions of Pakistan Army Act. In addition, the military’s media wing said that multiple instances of violation of the Pakistan Army Act post retirement have also been established and the process of Field General Court Martial against him has been initiated.

On November 8, 2023, Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of Top City, filed a petition in the Supreme Court in which he accused Faiz Hameed of misusing his authority. The petition stated that on May 12, 2017, ISI officials raided his Top City office and house at the behest of General Faiz and stole valuable including gold ornaments. He also accused that later Faiz Hameed also contacted him to resolve the issue.

Seeing sensitivity of the matter and given these serious allegations, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, which included Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard the case.

The Supreme Court observed that this was a very serious matter and the “serious nature of allegations may damage the image of the entire institution”, therefore the matter cannot be ignored.

The Supreme Court asked the attorney general to look into the matter while taking it up with relevant authorities. In his plea filed with the apex court’s human rights cell (HRC) in November last year, the Top City owner sought action against the former DG ISI.

“After the raid, I along with my five other colleagues were kept in confinement. The federal government should take action against Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid, his brother Najaf and others,” the petitioner Moeez Ahmed Khan had stated in his petition.

The apex court bench disposed of the petition on November 8, 2023 and directed the petitioner to approach the relevant forum against the retired general.

In the written order, the bench stated that the applicant had alleged that Lt Gen (retd) Hamid, who was then serving in the armed forces and working with the ISI, misused his office, and on his directions crimes were committed against the applicant and his family, as under:

1) Personnel of ISI and Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) raided the applicant’s residence and business offices

2) Detained the applicant and his family members

3) Robbed the applicant and his family members of their properties

4) Robbed the applicant of his business properties; (5) Compelled the applicant to transfer his business – Dynast Associate/Top City Housing Scheme – into his nominees names

5) Had false cases registered against the applicant, his family and employees; and, He and those under his command and Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) abused the powers of their offices while serving in the Armed Forces.

According to the written order, the additional attorney general (AAG) stated that there are a number of remedies available to the applicant, including approaching the Ministry of Defence, as the complaint/grievance pertains to a period when the said respondents were serving officers in the armed forces and/or to file a criminal case, including one for malicious prosecution, and/or to file a suit for damages, or to do all these.

“The learned AAG also stated that if a complaint is addressed to the Ministry of Defence of the Government of Pakistan it will be given due consideration,” says the order, adding “the allegations are of an extremely serious nature, and if true, undoubtedly would undermine the reputation of the Federal Government, the Armed Forces, ISI and Pakistan Rangers, therefore, they cannot be left unattended.”

Lt Gen (retd) Hamid had sought early retirement in November 2022 and his request was approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in December 2022.

He was among the six senior-most army generals who were nominated by the GHQ in the list of potential candidates for the two top military offices, chief of army staff (COAS) and chairman joint chiefs of staff committee.

The ex-DG ISI had also served as Peshawar and Bahawalpur corps commander before his retirement.

The PPP termed action against Faiz Hameed as party’s an internal issue.

Secretary Information PPP Parliamentarians Shazia Marri, asked to state party’s position on ISPR announcement, said, ““It’s (army’s) an internal issue.”

PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan alleged that all affairs of the PTI government were run by Lt Gen Faiz Hameed. Talking to Geo News, he said the requirements of justice should be fulfilled so that there is no impression that those with a certain mindset are being targeted.

PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said PPP objected to Faiz Hameed’s role in bringing Imran Khan to power. PPP leader Saeed Ghani said that action should be taken against any person or officer of the Pakistan Army who has done something that has caused damage to the institution, or attempted to damage it.

He said that if the Pakistan Army takes action, it would strengthen the institution, and no one else would dare to do such things (in future). PMLN’s Parliamentary Party Leader in the Senate Irfan Siddiqui said regardless of the reasons behind Faiz Hameed’s military custody and court martial, the events of May 9 have once again resurfaced after a year and three months.

On social media platform X, he stated, “Whether or not the targeted defence installations speak out, the memorials to the martyrs which were disrespected are now speaking up.” Senator Faisal Vawda said that Faiz Hameed and the PTI are same thing, adding that this is the beginning, and many idols are yet to fall as the matter would go ahead.

Faisal Vawda said that the matter would not be limited to corruption, the top PTI leadership is also a part of it, adding that Faizabad dharna case is just a tip of iceburg. He claimed that in the coming days Imran Khan and the PTI would fall flat.

Hailing the development to arrest the former spy chief, the senator said: “We should celebrate at this time that Pakistan is truly moving towards development. This should be the way of all of us to do politics and let the institutions do their work. Now accountability process would be seen in the country.”