Three more retired army officers have been arrested in connection with the ongoing court martial proceedings against General Faiz Hameed, the military said in a statement.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the arrests were linked to actions deemed “prejudicial to military discipline” during the tenure of Faiz Hameed, who headed the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2021 during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan, and is currently facing a court martial on charges of corruption and misuse of power.
In the two-line statement, the military’s media wing said that investigations into those actions were ongoing. It added that authorities were also scrutinizing other ex-military men and their alleged involvement in destabilizing activities “at the behest of” certain political factions. The identities of the arrested ex-officers were not mentioned in the statement probably because their alleged link was still being investigated.
However, media reports later claimed to have identified the arrested officials as two retired brigadiers and a retired colonel. The reports also claimed that the trio acted as go-betweens for political fractions and the former spymaster.
Reacting to the latest developments, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar welcomed the arrests and stressed the importance of self-accountability within institutions. “An institution, while promoting self-accountability, has started this process. We welcome this and believe it should be appreciated,” he said, pointing out that the military’s decision to initiate Field General Court Martial (FGCM) proceedings against the Faiz Hameed and subsequent arrests was a positive step.
The minister said the recent arrest of three ex-servicemen was a direct result of the interrogation of the former spy master. He noted that the ISPR’s press release hinted at the collusion between the former spymaster and a political party, led by a prominent figure, to spread anarchy and lawlessness across the country.
“It was a good and timely decision on part of the military,” he said, adding that this move had already led to multiple arrests, with more likely to follow as the investigation continues.
He said the authorities already know Faiz Hameed and his ‘companions’ were in contact with the leader of a certain political party when the no-confidence motion was tabled in the parliament. “The former spy chief was actively participating in political horse-trading at that time,” he said.
He also said that this wave of accountability would not be confined to a single institution. “The scope of investigation will be widened. All those involved in conspiring against the country would be identified and held accountable,” he said. The minister also referred to the events of May 9 and the letter written to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), calling them part of a broader conspiracy to destabilize Pakistan. “Those officials teamed up with anarchists to harm the country’s interests, and glaring evidence is present to prove this collusion,” he said.
He said that the Pakistan Army’s reputation as one of the world’s top institutions was largely due to its rigorous accountability practices. He said that this ongoing process was a result of ‘irrefutable evidence’ and asserted that no one should be allowed to jeopardize the nation’s economy, integrity, or interests for political gains.
He also stated that the conspiracy hatched by a certain party and its leader to harm the country was not something new, and continued even from within prison. He mentioned that a prison’s official had been arrested for ‘acting as a messenger’. He said that the country was moving toward recovery.
“The economy is stabilizing and the rupee is gaining ground against the dollar,” he said, adding that it would not have been possible had the conspiracies succeeded. He said that all those who tried to cause chaos needed to be held accountable for their actions. He was confident that more names would be revealed as investigations go further, which would lead to more arrests. “There should be no forgiveness for those who harmed this country,” he said, adding that the investigations must continue.
Separately, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir warned about the dangers of fake news and propaganda aimed at weakening the bond between the people and the armed forces. According to the ISPR, the army chief said this at a reception that he had hosted for Pakistan Army veterans.
Addressing the ex-servicemen, he said there was an unbreakable connection between the military and its retired personnel. He said that they were all united in their commitment to the country’s prosperity and security. The ISPR statement read that General Asim Munir paid tribute to the veterans, acknowledging their significant role in shaping the country’s history.
He also stressed the importance of unity and resilience, and urged veterans to continue contributing to Pakistan’s progress. The veterans expressed their confidence in the military leadership and pledged their continued support in addressing both internal and external security challenges, according to the ISPR.