Imran distances PTI from ex-ISI chief's arrest

Calls it 'strictly an internal matter of military', asserts he only had a 'professional relationship' with Hameed

RAWALPINDI:

Imran Khan has stated that the arrest of former intelligence chief Lt Gen (retired) Faiz Hameed is strictly an internal matter of the military and has no connection with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

During a meeting with PTI's legal team at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, the former prime minister discussed various national issues.

Following the meeting, PTI lawyer Intezar Panjutha spoke to the media alongside other legal representatives, revealing that Imran urged the public to peacefully take to the streets on the eve of Independence Day in the name of freedom.

"This is the time to act for the country's future."

On the arrest of General Hameed, Imran made it clear that PTI has no association with the matter. "It's evident that there was no political link between General Faiz Hameed and PTI. General Bajwa replaced him after striking a deal with Nawaz Sharif," he said.

On speculation linking the former spymaster's arrest to the events of May 9, the PTI lawyer asserted that if such a connection exists, it would be an opportune moment to form a judicial commission to investigate the incident and release the CCTV footage from that day.

When pressed about the former spymaster's arrest related to the housing society and whether the PTI would be drawn into the controversy, Panjutha asserted that Imran was "clear on this matter and has said: 'We never had a political relationship with Gen Faiz or anyone. My relationship with him was till October 2021 when he was changed [as ISI chief]'."

In the same breath, Panjutha claimed that Imran alleged former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa "changed him (Gen Hameed as ISI chief) for the sake of his extension in a deal with Nawaz Sharif."

The lawyer quoted Imran as saying: "I only had a professional relationship with Gen Faiz till he was working under me as the DG ISI and I had no other association apart from that."

Panjutha also stressed that the party has consistently called for a judicial commission to be established to investigate the events surrounding last year's violent nationwide protests following Imran's arrest.

The commission, he said, should focus on two key demands the party has been raising from day one.

"Who ordered the abduction of Khan sahib from the Islamabad High Court? Whoever gave the order [also] planned the May 9 conspiracy."

Panjutha, quoting Imran, also expressed concerns about the pressures being exerted on the Supreme Court and the diminishing hopes among the youth.

"Pakistan's situation is worse than Bangladesh's," Imran was quoted as saying, urging those in power to act sensibly.

He further criticised Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, adding that it was time for him to step back, and lamented that PTI lost three seats in recent elections under questionable circumstances.

It is pertinent to note that analysts and observers argue that Gen Hameed's background is a key piece in the puzzle of the country's political chessboard in the past few years. Serving as the director general of the ISI from 2019 to 2021, he was often in the eye of the storm, with the PTI's opposition accusing him of being in Imran Khan's corner.

His ouster from the ISI chief position in 2021 is widely seen as the straw that broke the camel's back, leading to a deepening rift between Imran and the military establishment. This discord ultimately paved the way for the former prime minister's fall from grace in 2022, sealed by a vote of no-confidence.