Ex-chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar said on Tuesday that he met former Inter-Services Intelligence director general Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed after his retirement in 2002. He described the former spymaster as “submissive”.

“Faiz Hameed respected me a lot,” he said when Munizae Jahangir of Aaj News contacted him after the information minister claimed that more big fishes would be netted following the arrest of former spymaster.

On August 12, the military’s media wing said that Hameed had been taken into military custody and the process of field general court martial had been initiated against him concerning the Top City housing scheme scandal.

“Multiple instances of violation of Pakistan Army Act post-retirement have also been established,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Attaullah Tarar said that be it “Saqib or Nisar”, the scope of the investigation would expand as things unfold after the arrest of Gen Faiz.

The PML-N has long claimed that the former jurist favoured Imran Khan’s party during his tenure as the top judge. The N-league also alleged that ex-CJP Nisar dismissed two of its leaders based on dual nationality while not punishing the PTI leader.

Nisar, who is in London, slammed Tarar’s press conference. He described the information minister’s statements as “baseless” and clarified that he had no link to the May 9 events.

Earlier this week, The News journalist Ansar Abbasi claimed that Hameed and Nisar were in contact with each other. But the nature of their communication remains unclear. According to the senior journalist, authorities have also gathered evidence against former CJP but have no intention of arresting him upon his return to the country.

When Aaj News asked about his contacts with former spymaster Hameed, Nisar said that the ex-ISI DG greatly respected him. “He [Faiz Hameed] has been very submissive.”

In response to a question about whether he stayed in contact with Hameed after retirement, Nisar said: “When I along with my family went to Swat in the summer holidays in 2002, Faiz Hameed invited me for food in Peshawar as I was visiting his area. Upon return from Swat, I, along with my family, went to Peshawar where Faiz invited me.”

On his return, Nisar said that he would return to Pakistan on September 6 or 7.

The former CJP clarified that he was not afraid of “propaganda” and was ready to face everything. He added that he was “disappointed” with the Pakistan media and called for not conducting his media trial.

“If there is any allegation it should be a charge sheeted.”

‘PTI won’t defend Bajwa, Hameed, Nisar’

Nisar’s responses were part of the show Spot Light with Munizae Jehangir aired on Aaj News on Monday. PML-N Senator Afnanullah, PPP MNA Sharmila Farooqi, and PTI leader Meher Bano Qureshi had joined the show via video link.

Afnanullah claimed that Nisar ran political campaigns for Sheikh Rasheed during his tenure as the CJP. He wondered how the former jurist managed to have lavish flat and expensive car amid his pension.

At one point on the show, the PML-N senator shared that he had informed the IT and Telecom meeting that Pakistan’s total IT exports were $3 billion per annum, out of which $500 million is contributed by the freelancers.

He admitted that freelancers were the most affected due to the internet slowdown. “We have per day $10 million to $11 million worth of IT exports.”

Afnanullah was of the view that there was “no harm” in firewall installations“ as such steps were taken in countries, where there were security concerns. He hoped that it would be resolved in the coming days.

PTI’s Mehr Bano called for transparency in Pakistan. When asked if the PTI would not defend the former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, former spymaster Hameed, and Nisar, she replied in affirmative.

She claimed that there has been interference in the past and those responsible should be held accountable.

PPP’s Farooqi stressed the need for setting up a truth and reconciliation commission. Mehr Bano agreed with her and added that “everyone should apologise to the nation whether it is PTI.”