The Pakistan Army has initiated an inquiry against retired Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, former Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in response to allegations raised by the owner of a private housing society.

Sources privy to the development said that the army has constituted an inquiry committee, chaired by a Major General, to investigate the accusations against Lt Gen (R) Faiz Hameed. The inquiry will be conducted by directives from the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The genesis of the inquiry lies in a petition filed by the owner of a private housing society, detailing incidents allegedly involving Lt Gen (R) Faiz Hameed and his associates.

The petition

The petitioner claimed that in May 2017, Pakistan Rangers and ISI officials raided the society's office and a resident's home, seizing valuables including gold, diamonds, and cash in connection with a terrorism case.

According to the petitioner, efforts were made by Lt Gen Faiz Hameed's brother to mediate the situation following an acquittal. Subsequently, Lt Gen Hameed purportedly communicated through a brigadier in the army, offering to return some items seized during the raid but retaining a significant portion of gold and cash.

Furthermore, the petitioner alleges coercion by retired ISI officials to pay a substantial sum of cash and sponsor a private television network. Names of other individuals allegedly involved in the affair were also mentioned in the petition.

During court proceedings, it was revealed that the matter had been previously addressed by the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court, and that former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had ordered the destruction of relevant records.

The Supreme Court, however, suggested that the petitioner pursue the matter through appropriate channels, indicating that civil or criminal courts could address allegations of malicious prosecution.

The court also noted discrepancies in the handling of proceedings related to the housing scheme under former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar.

Lt-Gen (rtd) Faiz Hameed gets clean chit

Earlier on April 16, the inquiry commission assigned to investigate the Faizabad dharna (sit in) incident has cleared former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) director general Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed and former Punjab Rangers director general Major General (retd) Azhar Naveed Hayat of any wrongdoing.

This commission, established by the Supreme Court in the aftermath of the 2017 sit-in at Faizabad led by former Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, found no evidence supporting allegations of distributing money among protest participants against either former military officer.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Hamid, who was heading ISI’s counterintelligence wing at the time of the protest, had been authorized by the then-army chief and ISI director general to sign an agreement as an arbitrator. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal had also consented to Hamid signing the accord on November 25, 2017, leading to the dispersal of the demonstrators.

The commission, chaired by former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police officer Dr. Akhtar Ali Shah and comprising senior PAS official Khushhal Khan and former inspector general Tahir Alam, recommended taking legal action against individuals based on the federal government and Punjab's findings. It also suggested reinstating cases against the TLP during the dharna.

The 149-page report contains statements from various individuals, including Abbasi, Shehbaz Sharif, Iqbal, current IB head Fawad Asadullah, former ISI chief Hamid, ex-Intelligence Bureau chief Aftab Sultan, former Punjab IG Arif Nawaz, and former Punjab Rangers DG Maj Gen (retd) Azhar Naveed.