"Be it Saqib or Nisar, scope of investigation will expand...": Pakistan's minister on former ISI chief's arrest

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 19 : Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information, Attaullah Tarar, has stated that more high-profile figures will be apprehended as the investigation expands following the arrest of former Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid, as reported by Pakistan-based Geo News.
His statement came after Pakistan's military announced on August 12 that Faiz Hamid had been taken into custody over allegations of land grabbing and seizing valuables from the owner of a private housing society. A Field General Court Martial process has been initiated against him.
Following his arrest, three more retired officers were also taken into custody, the army's media wing announced on Thursday.
While addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, Tarar stated that the military has its own mechanism of self-accountability and that recent arrests were made following a transparent investigation, according to Geo News.
"Be it Saqib or Nisar, the scope of the investigation will expand as things unfold after the arrest of Gen Faiz," Tarar said, referring to former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar, who has been accused of favouring Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.
Recently, rumours surfaced on social media suggesting that Saqib Nisar had fled to London and that he could be arrested in connection with the inquiry into General Faiz Hamid's arrest. However, Pakistan's former Chief Justice dismissed these rumours.
Speaking to Geo News, Nisar rejected the social media rumours, clarifying that his absence is unrelated to the former ISI chief. He added that he is in London on his annual planned holiday.
Attaullah Tarar accused PTI founder Imran Khan of conspiring with the detained former spy chief. He stated that Khan had fostered a politics of chaos, anarchy, and division in Pakistan.
"In collusion with Faiz Hamid, he [Khan] conspired to spread unrest and worked against the integrity of the country," the minister said.
"All these individuals were involved in the efforts of PTI's founder to spread chaos and anarchy in the country, as the ex-prime minister engaged in manipulative politics through this nexus," Tarar added.
He called former Pakistan PM Imran Khan the mastermind behind the plot against Pakistan's solidarity and claimed that the recently arrested individuals were his accomplices, according to Geo News.
Accusing Imran Khan of supporting terrorists, Tarar questioned who facilitated the return of terrorists to Pakistan, alleging that the PTI founder backed the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in their resettlement efforts.
Tarar asserted that those who undermined peace in Pakistan would be held accountable, regardless of their status. He emphasized that other institutions should also begin a self-accountability process, similar to that of the Pakistani army, according to Geo News.
On August 12, Pakistan's military announced that General Hamid had been arrested due to "multiple instances of violation" of the Army Act following his retirement in December 2022.
The military further stated, "The process of Field General Court Martial has been initiated, and Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid has been taken into military custody."
The Pakistani military explained that the action against the former ISI chief was in line with the orders of the Supreme Court, which in 2023 called for an investigation after a land development company named Top City filed a petition. The company alleged that Hamid and his brother had acquired ownership of several properties and had even blackmailed the company's owner.