London: Pakistan’s former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has confirmed that he is currently in London for a planned annual holiday, but he has strongly refuted recent social media claims linking his trip to the arrest of General (retd) Faiz Hamid.
Hamid, the former head of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, is facing court martial over alleged misconduct related to a private housing scheme.
In a phone interview, Nisar clarified that his visit is solely for personal reasons, including spending time with friends and family, and touring Scotland and Norway before returning to Pakistan in the first week of September.
He expressed frustration over the spread of false information and prayed for the sanity of those who spread baseless accusations.
“I am here for my personal matters, and the claims linking my presence abroad to General Faiz’s arrest are completely unfounded,” Nisar said.
Recent social media reports suggested that Nisar’s absence might be connected to the arrest of General Faiz, but Nisar dismissed these as speculative and false. The military had announced two days earlier that General Faiz was taken into custody for violating the Army Act after his retirement in December 2022.
The Field General Court Martial (FGCM) proceedings have been initiated, and the arrest was made in response to a Supreme Court order following allegations from a land development company, Top City, which accused Faiz and his brother of property acquisition and blackmail.
On Thursday, the military reported the arrest of three additional retired officers—two brigadiers, identified as Ghaffar and Naeem, and a retired colonel, Asim—who were allegedly involved in facilitating activities prejudicial to military discipline and colluding with political interests. The government has hinted at potential further arrests in the near future.
