Pakistan's military arrests former spy chief over probe related to a housing project scheme

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's former spy chief has been arrested and will be court-martialed, the country's military announced Monday without disclosing charges against the retired army general implicated in a housing scheme while former Prime Minister Imran Khan was in power.

In a statement, the military said Faiz Hameed was arrested following an internal probe ordered by the country’s Supreme Court over allegations related to what became known as the Top City project scam. The company, Top City, was developing land near the capital, Islamabad, for a private housing project.

It did not say when the arrest took place, only that the “appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated” against Hameed under army regulations.

The development was a surprise to many in Pakistan, where the army wields considerable power and where arrests of ranking or retired military officers are rare. The country has been ruled by the military for over three decades since its independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

Still, it appears Hameed's arrest is not linked to the fate of Khan, imprisoned since August 2023 and convicted in multiple cases. Some of Khan's convictions have been overturned by courts in recent months, prompting authorities to rearrest him in new cases to block his release from prison.

Hameed became the head of the Inter-Service Intelligence agency, or ISI, in June 2019 when Khan approved his appointment. He was replaced with Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum in October 2021, while Khan was still in the power.

The Supreme Court last year called for an investigation of Hameed, acting on a motion by Top City. The company had long claimed Hameed was involved in land grabbing and corruption linked to the housing project. It also alleged that as ISI chief, he abused his authority and orchestrated raids at the home and the offices of the project owner Moeez Khan, who is no relation to the former prime minister.

None of Hameed’s family members could immediately be reached for comment.

In Pakistan, the accused are entitled to an attorney of their choice, even in court martial proceedings, which are not open to public.

After Imran Khan was ousted in 2022 in a no-confidence vote in parliament, Hameed was granted early retirement. He has not been seen in public since then, though authorities have said he is being investigated for graft.

Last year, the military fired three senior army officers for failing to prevent attacks on public property and military installations during rioting by Khan's supporters in May 2023, angered over his arrest at the time in a graft case.