Faiz Hameed's court martial follows Army Act violations and concrete evidence: DG ISPR

Rawalpindi: Director General Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Thursday said that court martial proceedings against former spymaster Lt Gen (Retd) Faiz Hameed were initiated owing to violations of the Pakistan Army Act and based on “concrete evidence” following a detailed probe.

He told a presser that 32,173 Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) were conducted against terrorists and facilitators in eight months.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif said that 90 Khawarij were killed during operations in the last month.

The briefing comes after a series of deadly terror attacks in Balochistan on August 26, which claimed the lives of 50 people, including 14 security personnel. In response to these attacks, security operations have been intensified across the region.

He stated that in eight months 193 brave officers and soldiers sacrificed their lives and the whole nation pays tribute to them.

DG ISPR added that on the night of August 25 and 26, terrorist activities were carried out in Balochistan and security forces killed 21 terrorists.

He further said: “We know that there is a feeling of deprivation and state oppression in Balochistan”.

DG ISPR said that the Pakistan Army is neither against any party nor has any political agenda. If someone in the army promotes a specific political agenda for his personal gain, then the system of self-accountability comes into play.

He also stated that an application was received in the Top City case against Lieutenant General Retired Faiz Hameed, which was received through the Ministry of Defence. On August 12, the Army informed that the retired officer had violated the Army Act and even after retirement, the Army Act was violated. Several incidents came to light, on which court martial proceedings were initiated.

DG ISPR said that the Faiz Hameed case proves that the Pakistan Army takes the violations committed for personal and political interests seriously and acts according to the law without discrimination.

Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif hopes that this kind of indiscriminate self-accountability will encourage the rest of the institutions to answer if anyone uses their position for personal or political purposes.

"Pakistan always extended extraordinary cooperation to Afghanistan and wanted the Afghan government stay away from Fitna Al-Khwarij," said DG, adding that these Khwariji have nothing to do with Islam.

The ISPR spokesperson also stated that there is no no-go area in Pakistan and insurgents in Balochistan would be dealt with iron hands.

He made it clear that armed forces were working to clear the [troubled] areas from terrorist networks.

He said that the army has reduced its defence expenditure while Rs100 billion have been deposited by the army in the form of duties and taxes.

Chaudhry further said that the Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies were conducting more than 130 operations on daily basis to combat terrorism across the country.

He said that security forces had carried out 32,173 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) so far in 2024, with 4,021 conducted in the past month alone. During these operations, 90 terrorists, referred to as “khawarij,” were neutralized. He reiterated the resolve of the Pakistan Army, police, and intelligence agencies to continue the fight against terrorism, stating “The war against Fitna al-Khawarij and terrorism will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated.”

The DG ISPR also paid tributes to the sacrifices of 193 soldiers who embraced martyrdom in the last eight months, calling them real heroes of the nation. He assured their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain.

Highlighting a recent operation in the Tirah Valley against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups, DG ISPR Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that since August 20, 37 terrorists had been killed, including a top commander, Abuzar, also known as Saddam. Four soldiers were martyred during the operation, he added.

“These successful IBOs are a testament to the bravery and commitment of our security forces to eradicate terrorism,” he added.

Referring to the August 26 attacks in Balochistan, reportedly orchestrated by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), the DG ISPR attributed the violence to “internal and external enemies” hell bent upon destabilizing the province’s peaceful environment. He pointed out the military’s swift response, during which 21 terrorists were eliminated.

Acknowledging the challenges in Balochistan, he noted that certain elements exploited some sort of ‘deprivation’ among the local population. He stressed the military’s commitment to development and peace in the province despite these’ adversities.

During the press conference, the DG ISPR also addressed the court martial of former spymaster Faiz Hameed. He emphasized the Pakistan Army’s strong and transparent self-accountability process, stating that any violations of laws or regulations were addressed promptly and without discrimination.

“This self-accountability process works on solid proof and evidence rather than allegations,” Lieutenant General Chaudhry said, adding the matter concerning Faiz Hameed was referred to the army for investigation through the defense ministry.

The country has seen a rise in terrorist attacks, with 59 incidents reported in August, up from 38 in July, according to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). The majority of these attacks occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, he added.

In response, he said Pakistan’s military had ramped up its counter-terrorism operations, particularly in the most affected regions of KP and Balochistan. The military leadership, during a recent Corps Commanders Conference, vowed to safeguard the country’s “hard-earned successes” against terrorism.

Following the attacks, he said the federal government had expressed full support for Balochistan’s fight against terrorism. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced financial assistance worth Rs 5 million to strengthen security efforts in the province, he added.

He said :”The Pakistan Army and the nation’s leadership have made it clear that the fight against terrorism will continue until peace and stability are fully restored across the country.”