Military Detains Former DG ISI Faiz Hameed; Court Martial Process Launched: ISPR
Former intelligence chief detained by military, and proceedings for his court martial have begun, according to an announcement from the army's media department on Monday. This action is related to the Top City housing scheme scandal.
Committee Formed to Examine Charges Against Former Spymaster
Pakistan(Staff Reporter):Military Detains Former DG ISI Faiz Hameed; Court Martial Process Launched: ISPR,This marks a historic first for the country as a former intelligence chief faces court martial proceedings.
According to a press release from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Army conducted a thorough court of inquiry to address complaints related to the Top City case against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd), following Supreme Court of Pakistan directives.
The release continued: “As a result, disciplinary measures have been taken against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) under the Pakistan Army Act.”
The ISPR also noted that several post-retirement violations of the Pakistan Army Act by Hameed have been confirmed. Consequently, Field General Court Martial proceedings have been initiated, and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) has been placed in military custody.
In April, the military allegedly established an inquiry committee to look into claims of authority misuse involving the former head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), Faiz Hameed.
According to media reports, the committee, led by a serving major general, was set up as a move towards self-accountability by the military.
Military Detains Former DG ISI Faiz Hameed; Court Martial Process Launched: ISPR
The committee was reportedly established following directives from the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Defence.
In a written order dated November 14, the Supreme Court emphasized that the allegations against retired Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed, described as “extremely serious,” could not be ignored as they might damage the reputation of the country’s institutions if substantiated.
The order stated: “Given the seriousness of the allegations, if proven true, they could significantly tarnish the reputation of the federal government, the armed forces, ISI, and Pakistan Rangers. Therefore, these claims must not be disregarded.”
The management of Top City, a private housing project, had accused the former ISI chief of orchestrating a raid on the offices and residence of its owner, Moeez Khan.
In November 2023, the Supreme Court instructed the owner of the housing society to seek redress for his grievances against the former intelligence chief and his associates from the relevant authorities, including the defence ministry.
The newly formed inquiry committee is expected to draft a report based on its findings and submit it to the appropriate authorities.
Earlier, in March 2023, then-interior minister Rana Sanaullah announced that an investigation was underway into allegations of corruption and unexplained asset accumulation against the former ISI chief and his brother.
In March 2024, a Rawalpindi court placed retired naib tehsildar Najaf Hameed, the former intelligence chief’s brother, under a 14-day judicial remand in Adiala jail. Najaf and others facing charges had sought pre-arrest bail in connection with an FIR filed by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Rawalpindi. The FIR alleged that former minister for mineral resources Hafiz Ammar Yasir acquired properties worth billions through proxies.
According to unnamed sources, Gen Hameed chose to retire early and submitted his resignation to the high command in November 2022.
At that time, he was one of six senior generals whose names were submitted by General Headquarters to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approval as potential candidates for the top two military positions.
Before taking on the role of Bahawalpur corps commander, Gen Hameed had served as the corps commander in Peshawar. He faced significant criticism from PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, who accused him of being involved in their legal troubles and of supporting the previous PTI administration.
According to a petition, on May 12, 2017, Pakistan Rangers and ISI officials raided the Top City office and Moeez’s residence, seizing valuables such as gold, diamonds, and cash, in connection with a purported terrorism case.
The petition also noted that Gen Hameed’s brother, Sardar Najaf, attempted to mediate and resolve the situation. Following Najaf’s acquittal, the petition claims Gen Hameed reached out to Moeez through Moeez’s cousin, a brigadier in the army, to arrange a meeting.
During this meeting, Gen Hameed allegedly promised to return some of the seized items, but withheld 400 tolas of gold and cash.
The petition further alleges that retired brigadiers Naeem Fakhar and Ghaffar from the ISI pressured the petitioner to pay 4 crores in cash and sponsor a private AAP TV network for several months.
It also claims that former ISI officials Irtaza Haroon, Sardar Najaf, Wasim Tabish, Zahid Mehmood Malik, and Mohammad Munir were involved in the illegal takeover of the housing society.
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