General malfeasance

NEARLY four months after his arrest, former spy chief retired Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed has been formally indicted.

He faces a Field General Court Martial and must account for his alleged involvement in political activities, violation of the Official Secrets Act, abuse of authority, and causing wrongful loss to a person. But will this prove to be a long overdue comeuppance or just another smokescreen?

Those familiar with his conduct and activities will attest that Gen Hameed crossed a few lines too many during his time in power. As DG Counterterrorism and then DG ISI, he wielded his authority like a cudgel, ready to strike down any who dared cross him. He attained notoriety for ‘managing’ the 2018 election, terrorising opposition politicians into submission, and ruthlessly hounding the media in a campaign to silence and control it. It was not as if these ‘crimes’ went unnoticed at the time.

Gen Hameed was able to do what he did because he enjoyed the support of not only the then prime minister, Imran Khan but also his institution and its chief back then. His abuses were well known, yet they invited little scrutiny, let alone institutional accountability, as they were seen as serving a purpose that was in line with the establishment’s preferences at the time.

It was only when the times changed, and Gen Hameed did not, that his conduct began inviting serious scrutiny. Apparently, what the investigation into his activities has found is unsettling enough that he has been chosen to become the first ISI chief to be court-martialled. This case would have been a purely internal matter for the army had the prosecution been concerned solely with Gen Hameed’s violations of military discipline and standards of conduct. However, the charges brought against him also include political involvement, which complicates matters.

According to the announcement issued by the military’s media wing, Gen Hameed is still being investigated for “creating agitation and unrest, leading to multiple incidents including, but not limited to, May 9, 2023”. He is accused of doing so “at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests”. It is widely believed that Gen Hameed was ambitious and had his eyes firmly set on being army chief.

However, if he was pursuing that goal or something similar even after his retirement, this is something that should be brought to light. Unfortunately, military trials are conducted in camera, and Gen Hameed’s defence is unlikely to become public knowledge if the trial is conducted as per tradition.

However, given the nature of the charges brought against him and their possible repercussions for a major political party, the military must, at some point, consider publicising the trial’s proceedings. The public deserves to get closure on this saga.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2024