Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remains behind bars in Adiala jail, has sought to distance himself from former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed, whom he was known to be close with, and welcomed Pakistan Army's "internal accountability". This came days after Hameed was arrested and taken into military custody in connection with the Top City housing scheme scandal.
Speaking to journalists at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail, Imran said he had "no connection with the former ISI chief and called it the Army's internal matter, reported Geo News. "If the military wants the accountability of General Faiz [then] it should proceed and do it," he said, saying it was good that the all-powerful military had launched the process of internal accountability.
Hameed served as the ISI director-general from 2019 to 2021 and was considered close to Imran Khan when the latter was serving as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was tipped to become the next Army Chief. However, he was prematurely removed from the post of ISI chief by current Army Chief Asim Munir, a move vehemently opposed by Imran and believed to be the beginning of his deteriorating ties with the military.
What did Imran Khan say on Hameed?
When asked about his past engagement with Hameed, the 72-year-old cricketer-turned-politician said he did not want to remove him as ISI chief during a regime change in neighbouring Afghanistan, adding that Hameed was engaged with the Afghanistan government and the Taliban and shared good relations with them. He also said Hameed was an asset to the country but was wasted.
"I repeatedly asked (former Army Chief Qamar Javed) Bajwa not to remove Faiz but to no avail... General (retd) Bajwa also toppled my government for the sake of his extension," Imran said, blaming the ex-Army Chief for the spike in terrorist cases across the country. On Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's statement that Hameed was involved in the May 9 riots last year, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder said it must be investigated.
He also claimed that it was a condition from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif to remove the ex-ISI head. Hameed took premature retirement in November 2022, four months before his retirement date after the current army chief took over.
What is the Top City case?
Hameed is the first former intelligence chief in Pakistan's history against whom a court martial has been initiated. Sources told Geo News that so far eight people have been taken into custody in connection with the proceedings against the General, including retired officers of the brigadier rank and colonel rank.
The Pakistani military had constituted an inquiry committee in April to investigate allegations of misuse of authority against the former head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). In its written order issued on November 14, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had said that allegations of an “extremely serious nature” against ex-spymaster retired Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed “cannot be left unattended” as they would undermine the reputation of the country’s institutions if they were proven to be true, Dawn reported.
The written order had said: “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.”
The management of Top City Housing made serious allegations against the former ISI chief, claiming that he had raided the offices and homes of its owner, Moiz Khan. Following this, in November 2023, the Supreme Court advised the owner of the housing society to approach the Ministry of Defence and other relevant departments to resolve his complaints against Faiz Hameed and his associates.
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