Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday claimed that ex-spymaster Faiz Hameed, who was detained earlier this month in connection with a housing scheme scam, is being pressured to turn state’s witness against him, paving the way for Imran’s trial in a military court for the May 9 cases.
In a related development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained an accountability court in the capital from delivering its verdict in the £190 million corruption case involving PTI leader Imran Khan and his wife, which centers around the Al Qadir Trust.
Speaking to media personnel in Adiala Jail after being remanded in a new Toshakhana reference, the PTI chairman dismissed the cases against him in civilian courts as baseless, asserting that the former ISI chief was detained to implicate him. He claimed that General Faiz is being coerced into becoming a state’s witness against him, possibly to link him to the May 9 incidents.
Khan stated that even if General Faiz were to testify against him, he remains untroubled, as those responsible for the May 9 violence can be identified through CCTV footage. He reiterated his call for a judicial inquiry into the unrest, noting that if he had any involvement, he would not have made such a demand.
The PTI leader also accused the current regime of fearing that their “theft of the public mandate” would be exposed after the retirement of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. He dismissed claims that General Faiz took orders from his wife, Bushra Bibi.
Imran Khan again accused former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa of betrayal, alleging that General Faiz was transferred from the ISI as part of a deal between the then-army chief and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif.
In a separate event, an IHC division bench, comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar, halted the accountability court from announcing its verdict in the £190 million corruption case but permitted the continuation of day-to-day proceedings.
Following a preliminary hearing on Khan’s petition to access case records, the bench issued a restraining order and instructed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit a response. The court cautioned Khan’s counsel that any attempt to delay proceedings would result in the lifting of the restraining order.
Khan’s legal team, including Barrister Salman Safdar and advocate Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry, argued that the NAB’s executive board had previously recommended closing the inquiry in April 2020, and this fact was acknowledged during cross-examination in court. They requested that the NAB be directed to produce relevant records as evidence.
Meanwhile, former President Arif Alvi, who attended the hearing, told reporters that he would stay in Pakistan even if the government charged him with high treason under Article 6 for dissolving the National Assembly in April 2022.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar, in a tweet, urged the establishment to cease political interference and respect the public’s decision, warning that any misstep against Imran Khan could lead to a direct confrontation.
Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, speaking on Geo News’ program “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath,” criticized General Faiz Hameed’s actions, stating that his “malpractices” harmed PTI more than they benefited it, and as a lawyer, Marwat could not condone such actions.
