Ex-Pakistan ISI chief arrested over land development case

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ISLAMABAD,Pakistan August 12/AP/— Pakistan’s former spy chief has been arrested and will face a court-martial, the military announced Monday, though the specific charges against the retired army general remain undisclosed. The arrest is linked to a housing scheme that was under scrutiny during former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tenure.

According to a military statement, Faiz Hameed was detained following an internal investigation prompted by the country’s Supreme Court. The probe centered on allegations involving the Top City project, a private housing development near Islamabad.

The military did not specify the date of Hameed’s arrest but confirmed that “appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated” against him under army regulations.

Hameed’s arrest comes as a surprise in Pakistan, where the military holds significant influence and arrests of senior or retired officers are uncommon. The military has ruled Pakistan for over three decades since its independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

However, Hameed’s arrest appears to be unrelated to the situation of Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces multiple convictions. Although some of Khan’s convictions have been overturned, authorities have rearrested him in new cases to prevent his release.