Faizabad Dharna Inquiry Commission gives clean chit to Faiz Hameed

Islamabad: The Faizabad sit-in inquiry commission gave a clean chit to former Director General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen (Rtd) Faiz Hameed.

According to media reports, the report of the Faizabad Dharna Inquiry Commission consists of 149 pages.

Following the orders of Supreme Court, a three-member inquiry commission was set up under the chairmanship of former Inspector General (IG) Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, former IG Tahir Alam and senior officer of Pakistan Administrative Service Khushal Khan were members of the commission.

It is reported that the inquiry commission prepared recommendations after evaluating the motivations related to Tehreek-e-Labeek Pakistan's (TLP) sit-in at Faizabad.

The media reports stated that the commission report has also highlighted the Islamabad Police, Ministry of Interior, Punjab Government, ISI and Intelligence Bureau (IB), while the report also contains details of matters related to former Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

According to the media reports, the report said that Faiz Hameed as Major General DG (C) ISI was to sign the agreement, the then DG ISI and the Army Chief had given permission to Faiz Hameed to sign the agreement.

According to Faizabad Dharna Inquiry Commission, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal also agreed on the signature of Faiz Hameed.

In the report, the commission stressed on ensuring implementation of all the points of the National Action Plan and said that the weaknesses in the command and control system of the police should also be covered.

The report said that the policy makers have to learn from the Faizabad sit-in, because of flaws in the government policy, events like the Faizabad sit-in are fueled.

The report stated that instead of stopping TLP march in Lahore, the Punjab government allowed it to go to Islamabad. Due to the lack of communication between the police in the twin cities, there were deaths and hundreds of people were injured.

The report of the Faizabad Dharna Inquiry Commission said that the federal government hired the ISI to gain access to the leadership of the protesters.

It has been added in the report that on November 25, 2017, an agreement was reached with the cooperation of the agency, on which the protesters dispersed. During the sit-in, threats were made to military officers, Nawaz Sharif and ministers on social media, and the government failed to take action against social media propaganda.

The report said that during the Faizabad sit-in, Shehbaz Sharif was the Chief Minister of Punjab, the country's leadership at that time did not blame any institution or official. The credibility of the institution is seriously affected by the intervention of the military or agency in a civilian matter. The military should not get involved in public affairs to avoid criticism. The handling of public affairs is the responsibility of IB and civil administration.

According to the report, the government of Punjab has been negligent and weak due to which blood has been spilled. Peace must be made a strategic goal to end faith-based violence. The state should not compromise on the constitution, human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

The commission suggested that police officers should be deployed in troubled areas before deployment in Islamabad. Public order is the responsibility of the government, other sectors should avoid interference, zero tolerance policy is mandatory to combat violent extremism.