Pakistan govt supports Faiz Hameed court martial, PTI Sidestepped
The Pakistan government has hailed the military for arresting the country's former spymaster Faiz Hameed in connection with a housing scheme scandal but the opposition PTI virtually sidestepped the matter, referring to it as an internal army issue, media reports said.
Islamabad: The Pakistan government has hailed the military for arresting the country’s former spymaster Faiz Hameed in connection with a housing scheme scandal but the opposition PTI virtually sidestepped the matter, referring to it as an internal army issue, media reports said.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated that the military’s activities were internal. He remarked that the Pakistan Army is a disciplined and structured institution that has its own processes for dealing with both active and retired personnel, according to a Dawn report.
However, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and other leaders and senators in the ruling coalition backed the Army, which has also announced that court martial proceedings were being initiated against the former Director General of the Pakistan intelligence agency ISI.
“Action against Faiz Hameed would have been taken on the basis of investigation,” the minister said.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News: “Gen. Faiz has undoubtedly had an impact on political events after his retirement. Knowing him a little bit, he couldn’t resist muddying the waters.
“For a person who exercises immense and unlimited power to take a backseat causes ulcers to them.”
Asif reiterated that Gen. Hameed had a more “direct” role in events since his retirement and claimed the former spymaster “could have had a role in what happened on May 9,” referring to the nationwide riots that broke out last year on PTI founder Imran Khan’s arrest.“
“I can’t say with certainty, but events do point the finger towards him.”
Senator Irfan Siddiqui said a military person would seat in a parliament room on the directions of Hameed to watch parliamentary events. He cited PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan’s comments that Hameed had helped his [arty in parliament by getting legislations passed.
The senator claimed that the former ISI commander controlled the media and lawmakers and attempted to control the judiciary as well. “He (Faiz) thought that he was above the law,” said Siddiqui.
