Pakistani army indicts former intelligence chief for political activities | Military news

Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistan's military has accused a former intelligence chief of engaging in political activities, essentially accusing him of working with former Prime Minister Imran Khan to destabilize the country.

The indictment against retired Lt. Gen. Faiz Hamid, former head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), follows months of investigations and proceedings under the ISI Act. Pakistani army. Hamid was arrested in August this year.

In the process, the involvement of Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid (retd) in events related to creating agitation and unrest, leading to multiple incidents including but not limited to the events of May 9, 2023, aimed at fomenting instability at the request of and in collusion with particular political interests, is also the subject of a separate investigation, indicates Tuesday the press release from the Inter-Services Public Relations, l media wing military.

On that date, Khan's arrest in connection with a corruption case led to protests from supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Protesters targeted public buildings and military installations. Thousands of people were arrested, around a hundred of whom were tried by the army. Khan also faces several cases related to May 9.

According to ISPR, Hamid was also indicted for violations of the Official Secrets Act, abuse of authority and improper use of government resources, among other charges.

Hamid's arrest in August 2024 was prompted by what the military described as multiple instances of violations of the Army Law, following his retirement in December 2022.

The ISPR had said at the time that the action against Hamid was taken in accordance with a directive from the Supreme Court. The order followed a petition from land development company Top City, which claimed Hamid and his brother had acquired properties illegally and blackmailed the company owner. Hamid has not commented on the charges against him, either during his arrest in August or since.

Days after his arrest, three other retired military officers were also arrested for acts prejudicial to military discipline. It is widely believed that these arrests are linked to the prosecution of Hamid.

While the government is yet to comment on the issued indictment, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in August that the former three-star general had meddled in political affairs even after his retirement.

General Faiz was definitely involved in the political events that unfolded after his retirement, Asif said on August 12, when the news of Hamid's court martial became public.

Who is Faïz Hamid?

Once considered a close confidant of former Prime Minister Khan and a candidate for army chief, Hamid opted for early retirement in December 2022, shortly after General Asim Munir took over command of the army. army.

Hamid held various positions within the ISI before being chosen by Khan to head the agency in June 2019, replacing Munir.

His two-year tenure at the ISI was marked by allegations that he politically targeted Khan's rivals, many of whom were imprisoned; have repressed the media, violated human rights and suppressed protest movements across the country.

Hamid gained further international attention in August 2021 when he was photographed in a Kabul hotel shortly after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

After his departure from the ISI, Hamid, as commander of the Peshawar Corps, facilitated talks between the government and the Pakistani Taliban.

Hamid also played a key role in negotiations with the far-right religious party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) during their 2017 protests against the then-ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), when He was a deputy in the ISI as a senior official responsible for counter-espionage.

Suspicious motive

The Pakistani military, widely considered the country's most influential institution, has directly ruled the country for more than 30 years. However, despite persistent allegations of political interference, no former intelligence chief has ever faced a court martial.

Former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, under whom Hamid served as ISI chief and then Peshawar Corps commander, has also been accused of supporting Khan and engineering his rise to power .

In his farewell speech in November 2022, Bajwa acknowledged the military's unconstitutional interference in politics over the past seven decades and promised reforms.

In my opinion, the reason is the constant interference of the army in politics over the last 70 years, which is unconstitutional, Bajwa said, adding that the army had initiated his catharsis. He expressed hope that political parties will also reflect on their actions.

However, some senior retired military officials believe military interference in political affairs persists and have criticized the court martial against Hamid as incomplete without holding Bajwa accountable.

Hamid could only have engaged in political activities under explicit instructions from Bajwa, who headed the army, a retired general told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity.

He dismissed many of the allegations against Hamid as rubbish and expressed skepticism about the fairness of the investigation.

The retired civil servant also noted that the court martial of a military officer had never been so openly publicized.

These issues are generally kept away from the public. This unusual release of information raises questions about the motivations behind the entire exercise, the retired three-star general said.

Political commentator Muneeb Farooq says the court-martial proceedings against the former ISI chief were completely unknown in Pakistan's history.

But this, he said, shows the importance and seriousness of the accusations against Hamid. It appears that the army has evidence of Hamid's alleged involvement in intrigues and attempts to sabotage the appointment of Munir, the current army chief, two years ago, Farooq told Al Jazeera.

The Lahore-based analyst added that the indictment essentially accuses Hamid of being a conspirator or accomplice in cahoots with Khan, particularly during the May 9 events.

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