In a significant development, the Pakistan Army has announced the arrest of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed (retired) and the initiation of court martial proceedings against him. The arrest comes in connection with allegations related to the Top City housing scheme scandal.
The military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), released a statement confirming that the arrest was made following a detailed court of inquiry conducted by the Pakistan Army. This inquiry was carried out in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which had directed the Ministry of Defence to probe the complaints against Lt Gen Hameed.
According to the ISPR statement, the court of inquiry was set up to ascertain the correctness of the complaints in the Top City case against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (retired). As a result of this inquiry, appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against the former intelligence chief under the provisions of the Pakistan Army Act.
Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was considered extremely powerful during his tenure as the head of the ISI from 2019 to 2021. He was appointed to the post when the then ISI chief and current Army chief, Lt Gen Asim Munir, was prematurely removed from the position.
The Top City case came into the spotlight when Moeez Ahmed Khan, the owner of Top City, filed a petition in the Supreme Court accusing Lt Gen Hameed of misusing his authority. Khan alleged that on May 12, 2017, at the behest of Gen Hameed, ISI officials raided the Top City office and his house, seizing valuables including gold, diamonds, and money.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Attar Minullah, and Justice Aminuddin, heard the case and decided to send it to the Ministry of Defence for a thorough investigation.
The arrest of a former ISI chief and the initiation of court martial proceedings against him is unprecedented in Pakistan’s history. It underscores the seriousness with which the military is treating the allegations against Lt Gen Hameed. The outcome of the court martial will be closely watched, as it could have far-reaching implications for the country’s intelligence and military establishment.
