Former Chief of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) faces court martial following his arrest for alleged misconduct in a property case related to a private housing scheme. Retired Lieutenant-General Faiz Hameed, who was appointed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2019, was taken into military custody for violations of the Army Act after his retirement in December 2022. This unprecedented move by the military, which has directly ruled Pakistan for nearly 30 years, comes after a land development company accused Hameed of land grab and corruption.
The Supreme Court ordered an investigation against Hameed after the company filed a petition alleging that he acquired ownership of properties alongside his brother and blackmailed the company’s owner. Despite the military’s influential presence in Pakistan, no former spy chief has faced court martial before Hameed, making this a significant development in the country’s history.
Experts believe that Hameed’s arrest is aimed at restoring discipline within the military and the ISI, especially after his close ties to Imran Khan and rumors of becoming the army chief. The decision to arrest Hameed, who was a powerful figure in the intelligence community, suggests a threat he posed to the current army chief and the institution as a whole.
This development, while intended to manage civil-military relations, may have repercussions on Pakistan’s political, economic, and security conditions. As the case unfolds, it raises questions about the extent of power and influence former military officials hold in the country’s governance and the implications of their actions on national stability.
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