Three more retired army officers arrested in the case involving former DG ISI Faiz Hameed: ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Three more retired army officers have been arrested in connection with the arrest of former DG ISI Faiz Hameed. Faiz Hameed had been taken into custody for his alleged involvement in the Top City scam involving abduction and extortion of money.

According to the ISPR, the three retired army officers will also face court martial along with former DG ISI Faiz Hameed. They have violated the discipline of the Pakistan Army, ISPR added.

Brigadier (Retd) Ghaffar, Brig. (Retd) Naeem, and a colonel retired Asim among those taken into military custody after the arrest of Faiz Hameed. Both the retired Brigadiers belong to Chakwal, the home town of Faiz Hameed.

Earlier, former intelligence chief Faiz Hameed has been taken into military custody, with court martial proceedings initiated in connection with the Top City housing scheme scandal, according to a statement from the army’s media wing on Monday.

This marks a historic first in Pakistan, as a court martial has been initiated against a former intelligence chief. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated, “In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a detailed inquiry was conducted by the Pakistan Army to verify the complaints made against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) in the Top City case.”

The ISPR added that appropriate disciplinary actions have been initiated under the provisions of the Pakistan Army Act, citing multiple violations of the Act after retirement. The process for a Field General Court Martial has begun, and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) has been taken into military custody.

Reports indicate that the military formed an inquiry committee in April to investigate allegations of misuse of authority against the former head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). This committee, which is headed by a serving major general, was established in light of directives from the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Defence.

The Supreme Court, in a written order issued on November 14, stated that allegations of an “extremely serious nature” against retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed “cannot be left unattended,” as they could undermine the reputation of the country’s institutions if proven true. The order emphasized that such allegations could damage the credibility of the federal government, the armed forces, ISI, and Pakistan Rangers.

The management of Top City, a private housing scheme, accused the former ISI chief of orchestrating a raid on the offices and residence of its owner, Moeez Khan. In November 2023, the Supreme Court instructed Moeez to approach relevant authorities, including the defense ministry, for the resolution of his grievances against Faiz Hameed and his associates.

The newly formed inquiry committee will compile a report based on its findings and present it to the appropriate authorities. In March 2023, then-interior minister Rana Sanaullah announced an investigation against the ex-ISI chief and his brother concerning allegations of corruption and accumulation of assets beyond means.

In March 2024, a Rawalpindi court remanded retired naib tehsildar Najaf Hameed, the former spymaster’s brother, to Adiala jail for 14 days. Najaf, along with others, sought pre-arrest bail in an FIR filed with the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Rawalpindi, which alleged that former minister for mineral resources Hafiz Ammar Yasir acquired properties worth billions of rupees through benamidars.

The petition filed regarding these issues states that on May 12, 2017, the Pakistan Rangers and ISI officials raided the offices of Top City and Moeez’s residence, seizing valuables, including gold, diamond ornaments, and cash, in relation to an alleged terrorism case. The petition also claims that Gen Hameed’s brother, Sardar Najaf, attempted to mediate a resolution to the matter.