ISLAMABAD: Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif has said former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) was involved in political events after retirement. Asif’s statement came hours after the military announced Hameed’s arrest, saying field court martial proceedings had been initiated against him.
Speaking to a private news channel, Asif accused the retired general of violating the Army Act by interfering in politics in Dec 2022.The act bars officials from engaging in political activity for two years after retirement. “Gen Faiz was definitely involved in the events that took place in the political scene post his retirement,” the minister said.
When asked about Hameed’s involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots by alleged supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, the minister said, “He might have provided a little bit of logistics and provided his experience of conspiracies, and may have defined targets for protesters to inflict maximum damage,” adding, “You can say he might have had the role of a strategic adviser in the May 9 attacks.”
Following Imran’s brief arrest in a graft case last year, his supporters had attacked and damaged government and military assets. Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers and politicians were arrested after the riots. Some still remain behind bars. The military has also initiated army court trials against more than 100 people accused of involvement in the May 9, 2023 violence.
Gen Hameed’s arrest has sparked widespread speculation, with many linking the move to his close ties with Imran who has demanded the formation of a judicial commission to probe the ex-spymaster’s arrest to check if it was linked to the May 9 events.
Many politicians accused Gen Hameed of using harsh methods and coercive techniques while serving as ISI chief to please his military and political superiors and achieve his own personal goals. Former PM Nawaz Sharif has repeatedly claimed that Hameed, a number of Supreme Court judges, and former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa were responsible for his ouster in 2017. Hameed was then leading an ISI wing concerned with domestic issues.
Gen Hameed had replaced General Asim Munir, the current army chief, as ISI director-general in 2019. Gen Munir was unceremoniously fired by Imran when the latter was PM. The rivalry between these three individuals is partly to blame for Pakistan’s current political turmoil.
As the spy agency’s head Gen Hameed had used his authority to threaten and detain Imran’s political rivals, including former PMs, on what they claimed were false accusations. He was seen by opposition politicians as a spy chief who had managed PTI’s past govt activities from behind the scenes.
Both Hameed and Imran had approved the policy of repatriating Pakistani Taliban militants from Afghanistan back to Pakistan, which critics claim has led to the return of militancy to Pakistan. Hameed has also been perceived as a supporter of the Afghan Taliban, having backed their takeover of Kabul following the American withdrawal in Aug 2021.
In Oct 2021, Gen Bajwa had removed Hameed as spy chief, prompting Khan to oppose the move before eventually agreeing. As a PM, Imran had publicly acknowledged that he wanted to retain Hameed as ISI chief because of the situation in Afghanistan.
Speaking to a private news channel, Asif accused the retired general of violating the Army Act by interfering in politics in Dec 2022.The act bars officials from engaging in political activity for two years after retirement. “Gen Faiz was definitely involved in the events that took place in the political scene post his retirement,” the minister said.
When asked about Hameed’s involvement in the May 9, 2023 riots by alleged supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, the minister said, “He might have provided a little bit of logistics and provided his experience of conspiracies, and may have defined targets for protesters to inflict maximum damage,” adding, “You can say he might have had the role of a strategic adviser in the May 9 attacks.”
Following Imran’s brief arrest in a graft case last year, his supporters had attacked and damaged government and military assets. Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers and politicians were arrested after the riots. Some still remain behind bars. The military has also initiated army court trials against more than 100 people accused of involvement in the May 9, 2023 violence.
Gen Hameed’s arrest has sparked widespread speculation, with many linking the move to his close ties with Imran who has demanded the formation of a judicial commission to probe the ex-spymaster’s arrest to check if it was linked to the May 9 events.
Many politicians accused Gen Hameed of using harsh methods and coercive techniques while serving as ISI chief to please his military and political superiors and achieve his own personal goals. Former PM Nawaz Sharif has repeatedly claimed that Hameed, a number of Supreme Court judges, and former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa were responsible for his ouster in 2017. Hameed was then leading an ISI wing concerned with domestic issues.
Gen Hameed had replaced General Asim Munir, the current army chief, as ISI director-general in 2019. Gen Munir was unceremoniously fired by Imran when the latter was PM. The rivalry between these three individuals is partly to blame for Pakistan’s current political turmoil.
As the spy agency’s head Gen Hameed had used his authority to threaten and detain Imran’s political rivals, including former PMs, on what they claimed were false accusations. He was seen by opposition politicians as a spy chief who had managed PTI’s past govt activities from behind the scenes.
Both Hameed and Imran had approved the policy of repatriating Pakistani Taliban militants from Afghanistan back to Pakistan, which critics claim has led to the return of militancy to Pakistan. Hameed has also been perceived as a supporter of the Afghan Taliban, having backed their takeover of Kabul following the American withdrawal in Aug 2021.
In Oct 2021, Gen Bajwa had removed Hameed as spy chief, prompting Khan to oppose the move before eventually agreeing. As a PM, Imran had publicly acknowledged that he wanted to retain Hameed as ISI chief because of the situation in Afghanistan.
Source : Times of India
