agencies
Islamabad
The Pakistani military has begun the trial of the country’s former spy chief, in a move that is likely to exacerbate legal challenges against the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed faces charges of engaging in political activities, violating official secret laws and misusing authority, the military said in a statement released on Tuesday.
“The involvement of Lt Gen Faiz Hamid (Retd) in events related to creating agitation and unrest, leading up to multiple incidents, including but not limited to the events of May 9, 2023, aimed at fomenting instability at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests—is also being separately investigated,” the statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, on Tuesday read.
Khan hand-picked Hameed as the head of Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency in 2019.
The political opposition and rights advocates have accused the former spy chief of using his influence to suppress Khan’s opponents and muzzle dissidents. The Pakistani military and ISI have long interfered in politics in the coup-prone, nuclear-capable country, which has been ruled by generals for almost half of its existence. But this is the first time that a general has been arrested and is on trial for political activities in the country’s history.
The military’s statement said Hameed would also be investigated for allegedly aiding Khan’s supporters in attacks on military installations in May last year. Political experts have said that a conviction for Hameed would mean Khan would face the same charges under the country’s military laws. Khan has been in prison for more than a year serving a sentence for multiple graft charges.
