SIALKOT: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif held former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed responsible for the removal of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2017.
He also indicated that additional legal proceedings against the former intelligence chief were expected in the near future.
In this regard, the minister’s statements came two days after Faiz Hameed was sentenced to 14 years in prison following his conviction on four counts, including violations of secrecy laws, engagement in political activities, misuse of authority, and causing harm to individuals.
In such a scenario, Asif said the conviction followed a 15-month-long trial and added that further charges were under consideration.
“A former head of ISI has been convicted after a lengthy legal process, and there are still other matters on which proceedings will be initiated,” he said.
Furthermore, the defence minister alleged that Nawaz Sharif’s ouster, the legal cases filed against him, and the subsequent rise of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan to power were all part of a coordinated plan.
In addition, he claimed that Hameed played a central role in facilitating the 2018 general elections and described him as a key figure behind what he termed “Project Imran.”
Asif further alleged that during the PTI government’s tenure, political opponents were targeted through arrests and intimidation, asserting that the former spymaster enabled these actions.
The minister said that decisions affecting the country were allegedly made outside formal constitutional and parliamentary processes. He claimed that legislation was dictated to parliament and that governance took place away from institutional frameworks.
Meanwhile, Asif also accused Hameed of involvement in the violent unrest that erupted on May 9, 2023, alleging that the events were planned with the participation of PTI workers.
He corrected himself for referring to Hameed as a general, noting that the former officer’s military title had recently been withdrawn. The defence minister stressed that accountability would continue and said those who, in his view, endangered the country’s future for political power would be held responsible.
He focused on the importance of safeguarding national institutions and reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.
