Imran Khan demands open court trial for Gen Faiz

Ex-PM rejects allegations of maintaining contact with ex-ISI chief, asserting he became irrelevant after retiring

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Former prime minister Imran Khan has called for an open court trial of ex-ISI chief Faiz Hameed, insisting that the matter is not an internal military issue.

During an informal conversation with journalists, Imran stated that the army chief should facilitate a transparent trial for General (retd) Faiz, clarifying that his association with the ex-ISI chief is no longer relevant post-retirement.

“General Faiz became insignificant after retirement. How could he benefit me in any way?” he questioned, dismissing the notion that he maintains contact with the former DG ISI.

The former premier further emphasised that if Gen (retd) Faiz is indeed the mastermind behind the May 9 conspiracy, then the trial should be held openly. He added that the incident was a local issue rather than a matter of national security.

Imran expressed concern that subjecting him to a military trial would damage Pakistan's global image, reiterating his belief that the matter should be resolved in a civil court, not a military one, as it concerns a civilian leader, not the army's internal operations.

On Saturday, the former premier had said that he does not feel intimidated by the arrest of Faiz Hameed. He stated that if he were afraid, he would not have called for a judicial commission.

Imran criticised former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's claims that PTI had ruined the economy, referring to the Economic Survey of Pakistan to counter the allegations.

He pointed out that the previous government left a $19.5 billion deficit, which necessitated PTI's engagement with the IMF.