Former Pakistani Spy Chief Arrested for Alleged Involvement in Land Development Scandal
The former chief of Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has been detained by the military and charged with multiple crimes.
Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, who retired early in 2022, is facing court martial proceedings.
This is a rare occurrence in Pakistan, where the army wields significant influence and has carried out several coups to overthrow elected governments.
The specific charges against Hameed have not been disclosed, but a statement on the website of the army’s Inter-Services Public Relations agency mentioned: Read more
The statement relates to the Top City case, a complex matter involving a dispute with the owner of a private housing scheme in Rawalpindi.
Local media reports suggest that in the Top City private housing scheme, Hameed allegedly orchestrated an unlawful raid in 2017 on its owner, Moeez Khan, resulting in the seizure of gold, diamond jewelry, and money that was never returned.
Hameed’s arrest marks a significant downfall for an officer who was once a candidate for the position of chief of army staff in November 2022.
Attempts to contact Hameed or his legal representatives for a response were unsuccessful.
Hameed previously served as director general of the ISI from 2019 to 2021 and was photographed having tea in a hotel lobby in Kabul shortly after the Taliban took control of the city in August 2021.
Historically, the ISI has had connections with elements of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. In 2011, the Obama administration deliberately excluded Pakistan from the operation that killed Osama bin Laden due to concerns about compromising the mission.
Hameed was arrested amidst clashes between the Pakistan Army and Taliban forces along the Afghan border near Torkham, where a woman and two children were reported killed on the Afghan side.
Torkham is a crucial border crossing in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northeastern Pakistan used for trade and travel between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A spokesperson for Afghanistan’s interior ministry accused the Pakistani forces of targeting civilians during the clash.
Reuters contributed to this report.
