Analysts say arrest of former Pakistani spymaster could further strain ex-PM Khan’s ties with military

An undated file photo of Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in conversation with ex-DG ISI Lt. Gen. (retired) Faiz Hameed at the PM Office in Islamabad. (Photo courtesy: PM Office)

• Ex-spymaster Faiz Hameed, widely seen as close to Khan, faces inquiry over allegations of extortion and land grabbing
• Development has set precedent for future proceedings against ex-ISI chiefs or high-ranking military officials, analysts say

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani defense and political analysts on Tuesday termed the arrest of former spymaster Lt. Gen. (retired) Faiz Hameed a “very significant development,” saying it was likely to further strain former prime minister Imran Khan’s ties with the country’s powerful military.
The Pakistani military said on Monday it had held a detailed inquiry against Hameed, a former chief of Pakistan’s premier Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court on a petition filed by the management of the Top City housing society accusing him of extortion, land grabbing and snatching valuables, among other charges.
Multiple instances of violation of the Pakistan Army Act post-retirement had also been established against Hameed other than the Top City case, the military said, adding that it had started court martial proceedings against the former general.
Hameed, who served as the ISI chief from June 2019 till October 2021, is widely seen to have been close to ex-PM Khan, who has been in jail since August on a slew of charges. Many of Khan’s close associates are also in jail while others claim of harassment and intimidation by state agencies, which deny the charge. Many independent analysts as well as Khan supporters believe actions against Hameed may be part of the crackdown against close Khan associates.
Khan, who is widely believed to have been propelled to power with the backing of the military in 2018, was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote he blames was orchestrated by the military in cahoots with his political rivals. Both deny the charge. Since his ouster, his party has faced a state-backed crackdown that has only seemed to bolster support for Khan and which has been publicized widely on social media, along with unprecedented criticism of the army’s heavy hand in politics. The current military leadership says it no longer interferes in politics.
“This [arrest] will not only further strain Khan’s relationship with the military, but it will also demoralize Khan and his party most likely,” Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) think tank, said, referring to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The development has set a precedent for future proceedings against former ISI chiefs or high-ranking military officials, Mehboob said.
“It was very significant that a person of as senior a stature as a Corps Commander, a former ISI chief like Hameed, could be arrested and could be court-martialed and most likely sentenced,” he said.
“It is a very strong message to everyone that people who may be conspiring, who may be working against the current military leadership, will not be spared.”
Hameed’s arrest would also serve as a warning for other institutions and political groups who might be looking at the possibility of opposing the military or PM Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government, which is widely believed to be close to the current army leadership under Army Chief General Asim Munir.
“CLEAR DIVISION”
Ayesha Siddiqa, an author and political commentator, agreed with Mehboob.
“The impact is that it will allow them [the military leadership] to actually tighten control of the army and the ISI,” she told Arab News. “So, I think the [Top City] corruption case is just for public consumption, and [the real issue] is they are worried about the indiscipline that he was causing.”
Referring to allegations that Hameed was involved in “political activities” post-retirement, Siddiqa said it showed a “clear division” within the army and more arrests from within could be likely in the future.
Brig. (retired) Masud Ahmed Khan, a defense analyst, said the army had sent a clear message with this move: anyone involved in violations of good order and military discipline would be brought to justice, regardless of their rank or status.
“Whether you are serving or retired, if you are involved in activities which are detrimental to national security and also a violation of good order and military discipline, violation of Pakistan Army Act, then you will be tried by court martial,” he told Arab News.
Masud said the army was trying to demonstrate to other institutions across the country, be it the judiciary, the bureaucracy, or any other organization, that they could act against those “undermining national interests.”