ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Army has taken three more retired officers into its custody in connection with the Field General Court Martial proceedings against ex-ISI chief Lt Gen (retired) Faiz Hameed.
“In connection with the FGCM proceedings of Lt Gen (Retd) Faiz Hameed, three retired officers are also in military custody for their actions prejudicial to military discipline,” says a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday. “Further investigations of certain retired officers and their accomplices for fomenting instability at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests are continuing,” the ISPR said.
According to sources, two of the officers taken into the military custody are of Brigadier rank and the third is of the rank of Colonel. They have been identified as Brigadier Ghaffar and Brigadier Naeem while the retired colonel’s name is Asim.
Addressing a press conference here Thursday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar hinted at more arrests as he said no one can be allowed to put the country’s security at stake.
He said that Lt Gen (retired) Faiz’s actions were guided by PTI founder’s “wish” and the former prime minister was “leading them all”. On August 12, the ISPR said that Gen (Retd) Faiz had been taken into custody by the army over allegations of land grabbing. “Complying with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a detailed court of inquiry was undertaken by the Pakistan Army to ascertain the correctness of complaints in Top City Case made against Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed,” the ISPR had said. Consequently, the ISPR said, appropriate disciplinary action had been initiated against the former spymaster under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act. It further said that multiple instances of violation of the Pakistan Army Act post-retirement had also been established against the former general. Faiz also served as Peshawar corps commander.