Pakistan barely had time to digest news of the arrest of former ISI chief Lt. Gen. (retd.) Faiz Hameed when the military announced that a further three retired officers—two brigadiers and one colonel—were taken into custody for alleged actions prejudicial to military discipline.
Critics have claimed the much-publicized cases might tarnish the Pakistan Army’s reputation, but in fact they serve as timely disciplinary action essential for the quality of employment in any institution. It cannot be overstated how unprecedented this is in Pakistan, with Hameed the first former ISI chief in the country’s history to be arrested and tried for such a serious offense.
This has been noticed by the international press, which has highlighted the peculiarity of Hameed’s detention while the military retains significant influence in all matters of Pakistani governance. Reportedly, the former spymaster has been under secret inquiry for some time—dating as far back as his time in active service—but his arrest and court martial surprised all. The occurrence has also drawn attention for the links observers have alleged between PTI founder Imran Khan and Hameed. If true, this suggests a new front in the ongoing standoff between the establishment and the PTI, especially if any evidence is found of Hameed playing a role in the May 9 riots, which the armed forces have repeatedly described as a “black day” in Pakistan’s history.
To Pakistanis, however, the most dramatic aspect is the speedy rise and fall of Hameed. He came into the limelight in 2017 as a two-star general during the Faizabad “dharna,” which paralyzed Islamabad for weeks and was seen as a naked attempt to weaken the PMLN government of the time. Hameed was a signatory to the controversial deal that ended the sit-in and proved a great source of controversy at the time. The same year, reportedly, he directed the raid on the home and offices of the Top City housing scheme’s owner. He was subsequently elevated to three-star rank and appointed chief of the powerful ISI, a role that spanned much of Imran Khan’s tenure in the Prime Minister’s Office. Khan has admitted that he relied on the intelligence apparatus led by Faiz to secure votes required to pass legislation, adding his reluctance to relinquish Faiz’s services proved a bone of contention between him and the military. Whether this relationship will prove problematic for Khan and his PTI as investigations proceed could well shape Pakistan’s political scene in the foreseeable future.