Pakistan: Former ISI chief Faiz Hameed taken into military custody, court-martial initiated

The Pakistan Army on Monday took former General and former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Faiz Hameed into military custody and initiated court martial proceedings against him, said the army's media wing. This move follows a detailed inquiry mandated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to investigate allegations made in the Top City Case.

This is the first time in Pakistan's history that a court martial has been initiated against a former intelligence chief, local media said.

According to a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military has acted on the findings of the inquiry to address the complaints against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd). The court martial proceedings are being conducted under the provisions of the Pakistan Army Act.


The Top City Case
The management of Top City, a private housing scheme, has accused former ISI chief Faiz Hameed of orchestrating a raid on the offices and residence of its owner, Moeez Khan, said Pakistan's Dawn in a report.

In November 2023, the Supreme Court directed Khan to seek redress from relevant authorities, including the defense ministry, for his grievances against Hameed and his associates. A newly formed inquiry committee is set to compile a report based on its findings and submit it to the appropriate authorities, the report added.

Earlier in March 2023, then-Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah revealed an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption involving Hameed and his brother, Najaf Hameed.

By March 2024, a Rawalpindi court had remanded Najaf Hameed, a retired naib tehsildar, to Adiala jail for 14 days. Najaf and others had sought pre-arrest bail in an FIR lodged with the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in Rawalpindi, which alleged that former Minister Hafiz Ammar Yasir had acquired properties worth billions through proxies.

Gen Faiz Hameed had opted for early retirement and submitted his resignation to the high command in November 2022. At that time, he was among the six senior-most generals shortlisted by General Headquarters for top military positions, which were sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approval.