Islamabad (Web Desk): Former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) director general Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid got relief in the Faizabad Sit-In Inquiry Commission’s report submitted to the government.
The inquiry commission was constituted on the Supreme Court's (SC) orders following the case pertaining to the 2017 sit-in at Faizabad which was led at that by former Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi.
According to sources, the commission, led by former AIG KP Dr Akhtar Ali Shah and including former IGP Islamabad Tahir Alam and Khushhal Khan, submitted its 243-page report to the top court and the government.
The sources, quoting the report, said that the inquiry commission stated that former spy chief General (r) Faiz Hameed worked in accordance with the government's instructions.
Without mentioning the name of then-Punjab CM Shehbaz, the body said that his government was responsible for the sit-in in Islamabad.
The report found no concrete evidence linking former DG ISI Lt Gen (r) Faiz Hameed and former DG Rangers Maj Gen Naveed Azhar Hayat to the sit-in.
"There is no connection of any government official with the protest as we could not find evidence establishing involvement of a state institution or secret agency in facilitating it," the commission stated.
The statements from various officials, including former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, current IB chief Fawad Asadullah, former ISI DG Lt Gen (R) Faiz Hameed, former IB chief Aftab Sultan, former Punjab IG Arif Nawaz, and former Rangers DG Lt Gen (R) Naveed Azhar Hayat are also attached to the report.
However, only former PEMRA Chairman Absar Alam provided a statement against Hameed.
As per the sources quoting the report, the commission recommended legislation and drafting of rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to regulate the working of intelligence agencies.
“The report also noted that the involvement of the army or its affiliated agency in civilian matters adversely affects the fair image of the institution,” the sources added.
It said that Army is a sacred arm of the state, therefore to avoid criticism, the institution may not be involved in public matters.
The commission suggested assigning the Intelligence Bureau (IB) the primary responsibility for internal security.
The commission also advised against using the paramilitary FC and Rangers in the urban areas.
