The detention of former DG ISI Lieutenant General (R) Faiz Hameed is not an ordinary event, given his high-ranking military position. His custody indicates that the matter will not be confined to just this incident but suggests further arrests and revelations. Such events are rare in the military.
It is not only significant that he has been taken into military custody but also that a field court martial has been initiated, and now the situation has escalated to additional arrests. Former close associates and officers who worked with him are also being detained.
ISPR has clarified that this issue is not merely about a private housing society. General (R) Faiz Hameed has allegedly violated the Army Act even after his retirement.
The primary issue seems to be his post-retirement activities. Otherwise, the private housing society issue had been ongoing since 2017, and he had been avoiding consequences related to it. It is evident that the focus is now on his activities after retirement.
If he was involved in planning the events of May 9, it also falls under post-retirement activities. According to the Army Act, he was prohibited from engaging in political activities for two years.
However, it appears he did not openly participate in any political activity, did not contest any elections, did not run any election campaign, nor did he speak at any political rallies.
Therefore, it is not clear how this constitutes participation in political activities. The situation is more serious than that.
Former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had started meeting journalists after his retirement, during which he indirectly addressed the allegations against him by Imran Khan.
However, reports later indicated that these meetings were halted, and he was informed that under the Army Act, he could not give any direct or indirect interviews for two years.
This issue remained a warning, but in this case, matters have progressed significantly. Thus, it is not difficult to understand that the situation is serious, and the army took this step after considerable tolerance. There is also the question of why this step was taken so late; it should have been taken earlier.
It is now clear that the real story involves the nexus between PTI founder Imran Khan and General (R) Faiz Hameed. This is why even jail officials who allegedly acted as intermediaries between General (R) Faiz Hameed and Imran Khan are being detained.
These officials reportedly conveyed messages between the two and facilitated their communications. It is well-known that General (R) Faiz Hameed had sympathies with PTI and Imran Khan, and their close relationship is not a secret.
However, such closeness should not have led to such severe action. Clearly, some actions must have been intolerable.
Whatever Faiz Hameed did while adhering to army discipline, he was neither detained nor could be detained for those actions. At that time, his actions were within the institution’s discipline. A crime occurs when one deviates from the institution’s policy.
Perhaps he did not consider the significant difference between the ISI, police, and IB. The ISI is a crucial institution for national security in Pakistan, making its discipline highly important.
Its officers remain under strict monitoring even after retirement due to the sensitive nature of the institution. Errors are not expected from them.
However, reports suggest that General (R) Faiz Hameed violated this discipline to support Imran after retirement, which is why this is being termed as the Faiz-Naizi nexus.
The Faiz-Naizi nexus and the political games orchestrated as a result have caused severe unrest within the Pakistan Army. Reports suggest that former Chief of Army Staff General (R) Qamar Bajwa also disapproved of the political alliance between General Faiz and Imran and discouraged it internally. This disapproval later led to General Faiz’s transfer from the ISI and increased tension between General Bajwa and Imran.
Imran Khan’s regard for Faiz Hameed as an asset reflects their deep relationship. However, no individual should be considered an asset over institutions, which are the real assets.
Undoubtedly, the ISI is a valuable asset to our country, but neither Faiz Hameed nor Imran Khan can be considered assets.
This situation has not only severely harmed the institution but also affected its then-head, General Bajwa, since Faiz Hameed repeatedly committed actions that bypassed the Army Chief.
According to an ISPR press release, Faiz Hameed continued to support Imran politically even after his retirement, which is a clear violation of the Army Act.
He, along with his trusted retired military officers, undertook several actions that were not only illegal but also contrary to the professional integrity of the institution.