Rana Sanaullah, the prime minister’s adviser on political affairs, has stated that the decision to take former Inter-Services Intelligence director general Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed into custody and initiate court-martial proceedings would be a “milestone for the respect and dignity of the Pakistan Army.”
He told a private news channel that there must have been “sufficient evidence” against Hameed for him to be taken into military custody.
Sanaullah stated that the court-martial process would proceed as per military protocols, and the investigation was likely to examine Hameed’s role in the Faizabad sit-in agreement, where he is said to have signed the document.
Hameed had a role in the Faizabad sit-in, he said and added that the Supreme Court’s directives were regarding the housing society. “The focus should remain within the boundaries of the ISPR’s statement on the matter,” Sanaullah said.
Meanwhile, Federal Information Attaullah Tarar stated that the army is an institution that “operates on merit and it conducts inquiries based on merit.” He added that whatever has come to light was a result of such investigations.
Tarar expressed that he believed the institution took the appropriate step against Hameed, who according to him, was the “mastermind behind the instability” in the country up until now.
PML-N leader Javed Latif alleged that there were plans to incite unrest akin to the situation in Bangladesh.
In the recent past, students’ protest against the government job quota system led to the resignation of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. More than 400 people were killed in the protests.
Latif was of the view that the action taken against the former spymaster has “improved the perception of the institution.” He claimed that Hameed was the “central figure” behind the events unfolding in Pakistan.
The masterminds could not have carried out their plans on May 9 and 10 without facilitation, Latif said and added: “It is now time for a process of self-accountability to begin in other institutions as well.”
In an interview with a private TV channel, PML-N leader Irfan Siddiqui claimed that Hameed was “actively involved” in supporting the PTI in the 2024 elections.
Siddiqui alleged that Hameed while holding a senior-level posting exceeded the bounds of military discipline and became an institution unto himself.
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During Imran Khan’s tenure, he claimed that Hameed was heavily involved in the government’s affairs and took credit for ensuring the required number of assembly members and getting the budget passed.
“There was a special room within the Parliament House where a military officer, under Hameed’s supervision, would monitor all proceedings,” the PML-N leader said and claimed that the former spymaster had gone beyond the limits of a soldier’s discipline and had taken control of a particular individual, their government, and all its affairs.
He alleged that Hameed tried to control journalists, the media, and even judges, stating that he was a personality who had transcended the bounds and limits of his position.
