Accountability

The conviction of former DG ISI Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed by a Field General Court Martial, and sentencing to 14 years in prison represents a triumph of accountability within the military. It is not the first time that an officer of that rank has been convicted, but it is the first time that the charges have related to political activities, violation of the Official Secrets Act, misuse of authority and government resources and causing wrongful loss to persons. The conviction has established that the military has its own rigorous system of accountability, and that high rank does not prevent its operation. It also establishes that the military has zero tolerance for any exploitation of the status conferred by high rank or sensitive posting. The case has not attained finality, for there is an appeals process which ends with a clemency plea to the Chief of Army Staff. But it appears to be more or less over. It was initiated because of Supreme Court orders that an enquiry be conducted into the Top City housing society, into which General Hameed is said to have misused his position.

This is not the only case. There is also the allegation of involvement in events related to multiple incidents involving creating instability and unrest, including but not limited to the incidents of 9 May 2023 at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests. There is the possibility of General Hameed giving testimony in the cases against Mr Imran Khan for the 9 May 2023 incidents. The verdict in the case against General Hameed, and the findings in it, are expected to provide evidence in that case. For many, more interested in partisan politics than the military justice system, the main interest rests more in this case than in the Top City case.

It is interesting that the PTI avoided any comment on the verdict, and the PML(N) expressed more interest in what the verdict meant politically than in the implications for the future. An example has once again been set of the Army’s prevention of the misuse of power, one that could also be followed with profit in the case of civilian leaders. It is to be assumed that those who facilitated General Hameed in his abuse of power will also face punishment. The PTI has not said anything, with only KP CM Sohail Afridi describing the matter as the internal affair of an institution.