Pakistan’s former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief, Lt Gen (retd.) Faiz Hameed, has been taken into custody by the military. This arrest comes ahead of his court martial, which is related to a housing scheme scandal. According to DAWN News, this is a historic event, as it is the first time in the country’s history that a court martial has been initiated against a former intelligence chief.
The roots of the scandal go back to November 8, 2023, when Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of Top City, filed a petition with the Supreme Court. In his petition, Khan accused Faiz of abusing his authority. The petition alleged that on May 12, 2017, at the behest of Gen Faiz, ISI officials conducted raids on the Top City office and Khan’s residence.
In response to the allegations and directives from the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Defence, the military formed an inquiry committee in April. The committee, tasked with investigating the misuse of authority allegations against the former head of the ISI, concluded its investigation.
“Complying with the orders of the 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),” reported PTI quoting Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the media wing of the army. “Consequently, appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd), under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act,” it added.
Hameed was a powerful figure during his tenure as head of the spy agency from 2019 to 2021. Sources cited by DAWN reported that General Hameed had opted for early retirement and submitted his resignation to the high command in November 2022. He was among the six most senior generals considered for the two top military positions in November 2022, with his name being included in the list submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approval.
The allegations against Faiz, the subsequent inquiry, and his arrest highlight the gravity of the housing scheme scandal and its potential ramifications within the Pakistani military establishment. The court martial proceedings are expected to shed further light on the allegations and determine the extent of Faiz’s involvement in the scandal.
