Pakistan’s past spymaster- who was once tipped for the military’s top work- has been taken into defense custody.
Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed is accused of abusing his position of power and carrying out a private property development project while leading the Inter-Services Intelligence ( ISI) agency.
People of Gen Hameed’s rank are extremely rare to be detained in Pakistan, and there is widespread skepticism about the matter, many citing his ties to former prime minister Imran Khan.
He led the ISI during Mr Khan’s leadership, from 2019 to 2021, before taking first pensions in December 2022.
During that time, the two were thought to be pretty close.
The Supreme Court had mandated the imprisonment of Gen. Hameed, according to the army’s official statement, and the government had just begun” the field public court martial process.”
A court combat is a legitimate military reading.
It even noted there had also been “multiple cases of infraction” of the Pakistan Army Act since his retirement.
Lt. Gen Talat Hussain, a retired official, described the action as “unusual” in an interview with the BBC and predicted that many more arrests might follow.
According to some experts, the imprisonment could be seen as part of the army’s drive to hold people accountable within the organization.
According to Senator Irfan Siddiqi, a close ally of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the imprisonment of such a high-ranking official indicates that no one is in the public eye.
Others speculate that this may be more about resolving old conflicts, with indications that General Hameed and the current military authority did not agree on anything.
There is also rumor that the arrest is a sign that those who were perceived as supporting Imran Khan, yet if they were not in the social fraternity, are willing to take legal action.
Mr Khan, who has been imprisoned for more than a year and is facing many claims, was once strongly aligned with Pakistan’s military authority.
Opposition figures have previously accused Gen Hameed of being responsible for “selecting” Mr Khan for office, and was apparently so confident he was going to be named army chief he boasted of it, according to the BBC’s former Pakistan correspondent.
Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan described the government’s behavior as an inner problem, with Mr. Khan’s PTI group appearing to dispel any rumors that the arrest may be connected to them.
The incarceration has been welcomed by the state.
Gen. Hameed’s opinion could not be reached for comment.