KARACHI: A day after former intelligence chief retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed was taken into military custody, PTI founder Imran Khan has distanced himself from the ex-spymaster, insisting that they only had “a professional relationship”, a PTI lawyer said on Tuesday.

Intizar Panjutha, who met the incarcerated party founder in Adiala Jail on Tuesday, briefed reporters about the former premier’s thoughts on Lt Gen Hameed’s arrest, Dawn.com reported.

“Khan sahib said just this that ‘it is the army’s internal matter’ and that whatever action the army has taken has nothing to do with the PTI or Khan sahib.”

However, the PTI lawyer also quoted Mr Khan as saying that if the former intelligence chief indeed had a role in the events of May 9, as claimed by many ministers, then a judicial commission should be set up to determine roles and responsibilities.

Panjutha says ‘opportune time’ to form judicial commission if ex-spy chief’s links with May 9 events are suspected

In an unprecedented step, the military announced Gen Hameed’s arrest on Monday for allegedly violating the Army Act. According to a source, Gen Hameed was taken into custody from Rawalpindi when he was summoned for a meeting by a senior military official.

Gen Hameed was frequently criticised by PTI’s opponents for his support to and ties with Imran Khan while he was serving as DG ISI from 2019 to 2021. His transfer and posting is believed to have caused a rift between the then PM Imran Khan and his army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Questioned about the former spymaster’s arrest and whether the PTI would be linked to it, Mr Panjutha said the ex-PM was “clear on this matter and 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]’”.

At this, the lawyer added, Mr Khan alleged that ex-army chief Bajwa “changed him (Gen Hameed as ISI chief) for the sake of his own extension in a deal with Nawaz Sharif”.

Connected with May 9?

The PTI lawyer said: “Khan sahib said just one thing that ‘if these developments are connected with May 9, then it is a very good opportunity.’”

Mr Panjutha said the party had always maintained that a judicial commission should be set up to investigate the events of the last year’s violent nationwide protests after Mr Khan’s arrest and it should determine two things that the party had been demanding since day one: first, who ordered Mr Khan’s “abduction” from the Islamabad High Court and, second, whoever gave the order also planned the “May 9 conspiracy”.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2024