Ex-spy chief’s arraignment ignites debate in Pakistan on possible military trial of Imran Khan

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan (left) and former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. (retired) Faiz Hamid (second left) are pictured after attending a special meeting of “National Intelligence Coordination Committee” in Islamabad, Pakistan, on June 23, 2021. (@PakPMO/File)
Short Url
Updated 12 December 2024
Follow

Ex-spy chief’s arraignment ignites debate in Pakistan on possible military trial of Imran Khan

  • Hamid, who was DG ISI from June 2019 until October 2021, was widely seen to have been close to Khan when he was PM 
  • PM Sharif government says Hamid may have been a “strategic adviser” to Khan in planning anti-military riots in May last year

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Legal and political analysts said this week the arraignment of former spymaster Lt. Gen. (retired) Faiz Hamid on a number of charges, including engaging in political activities, could be a “message” for ex-premier Imran Khan and a precursor to prosecuting the jailed leader before a military court.

Hamid, who served as the director-general of Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency from June 2019 until October 2021, was widely seen to have been close to Khan while he was prime minister from 2018-2022. The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the time of Hamid’s arrest in August he was part of a “political nexus” led by Khan that had planned protests by pro-Khan supporters in May 9, 2023, in which government and military buildings were attacked by rioters. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has since said Hamid may have played the role of a “strategic adviser” to Khan in planning the violence and the ex-premier’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party provided the manpower while Hamid “masterminded the conspiracy.” 

Thousands of leaders and supporters of the PTI were arrested after the protests and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence and there have been widespread reports that the military also plans to prosecute Khan under the Pakistan Army Act on charges of treason and attempting to incite a mutiny in the military. The PTI denies their leader planned the riots and says he was in prison when they took place. Khan is already on trial in a civilian court for allegedly abetting the violence, a charge he has rejected. 

The Pakistan Army Act of 1952 set up military courts to try members of the military or enemies of the state. Civilians can only be tried in such tribunals under a federal government order for offenses such as waging war against the armed forces or law enforcement agencies, or for attacking military installations or inciting mutiny.

Hamid’s lawyer declined comment. The military did not respond to an Arab News request for comment but current army chief General Asim Munir said in May, without naming anyone, there could be “no compromise or deal with the planners and architects of this dark chapter in our history.”

“The court martial of Faiz Hamid is also a message for Imran Khan,” political analyst Mazhar Abbas told Arab News. “The case with regards to May 9 is still not final and under investigation but if the nexus between Gen. Faiz and Imran is established, the case would go down in history as a landmark case.”

Imaan Mazari-Haider, a prominent human rights lawyer, questioned the intent behind Hamid’s trial.

“If there was any genuine intent to hold him [Hamid] accountable for violations of his oath, the violations of the constitution, violations of Pakistanis’ fundamental rights under his tenure as DG ISI, we would be seeing a very different kind of trial and a very different mode of accountability,” she said, referring to the secretive nature of military trials. 

“So, yes, I do think on some level, this is also being done to bring Imran Khan within the ambit of the Army Act … it’s to bring a very popular, civilian leader within the ambit of the Army Act, perhaps at a later stage.”

Khan has himself said Hamid’s arrest was meant to ultimately target him as other cases against him were falling apart and he had won a string of legal victories in civilian courts.

“It is a drama to try my case in a military court,” he was quoted as saying by his lawyer Naeem Panjutha during a hearing in jail earlier this year.

In a media briefing in September, military spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry hinted at a military trial for Khan in response to a question by a journalist. While he said the matter was under judicial consideration and therefore prohibited from public discussion, he simultaneously outlined the conditions under which a civilian could be tried under military law:

“Anyone who uses any person or persons who are bound by the Army Act for his personal or political interests, and there is evidence available about that, the law will take its own course.”

“FIX THEIR OWN HOUSE”

Pakistan’s military courts operate under a separate system from the civilian legal system and are run by military officials. Judges at such tribunals are also military officers and cases are tried at military buildings. Trials are closed to outsiders and the media.

The courts have faced widespread criticism inside Pakistan and from rights organizations globally because of their secretive nature and their parallel existence alongside a functioning civilian legal system.

Anyone tried under the Army Act has the right to defend themselves and engage a counsel of their choice. Individuals can challenge convictions in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Hamid is being tried by court-martial on charges of corruption, misuse of power in service and violation of the Army Act after his 2022 retirement, the military says. The charges are punishable by a jail sentence of up to 14 years.

“The retired officer is also accused of transgressing legal and constitutional boundaries for his personal interest at the behest of some particular political elements,” the military spokesman said at the September briefing.

Khan has waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against Pakistan’s all-powerful military after a falling out with then-army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in 2022, following which he was ousted from office in a parliamentary no-trust vote that he said was backed by the generals. The army denies it interferes in political affairs but has a long history of carrying out military coups in Pakistan and being the invisible guiding hand of politics even in times of civilian rule. 

Khan appointed Hamid in 2019 as the head of the ISI, one of the most powerful posts in Pakistan and one that functions at the intersection of national politics and military and foreign affairs. Two years later, when the military transferred Hamid from the ISI to a corps command, Khan initially opposed the move in what was the first public sign of divisions between him and the army top leadership.

Khan has acknowledged in interviews to Pakistani media that he wanted Hamid to remain DG ISI in 2021, when he said the opposition had started planning his ouster. 

Lawyer and columnist, Sameer Khosa, told Arab News while it was too early to speculate on whether Hamid’s trial would pave the way for Khan’s before a military court, civilians “deserve a hearing in a fair and open court where they are confronted with the evidence against them and have the ability to lead a fair and independent defense.”

“Military trials are meant for the internal disciplinary proceedings of military officers by military officers because they are bound by military discipline,” Khosa said. 

“Civilians have the right to a trial before an independent and impartial forum that is open to the public and the media. That’s a constitutional guarantee. It’s an international human rights principle.”

Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and close adviser to Khan, said the court martial and arraignment of the former ISI chief was an “army matter” that had no connection to Khan.

“It’s funny that the army is taking action [against Hamid] now but not in the last five years while he was in office,” the PTI spokesman told Arab News, raising questions about the timing of the case against the ex-spymaster.

“They [army] should, they need to fix their own house first before trying to link it to anybody else,” he added. “So whatever issues they have, it is their own internal housekeeping.”


Pakistan eyes trade corridors with Belarus to enhance access to Central Asia, Europe

Updated 03 April 2025
Follow

Pakistan eyes trade corridors with Belarus to enhance access to Central Asia, Europe

  • Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan arrives in Minsk on two-day visit to bolster trade, investment ties
  • Khan to sign new MoUs during visit, state-run media says amid Islamabad’s push for sustainable economic growth 

ISLAMABAD: Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Thursday stressed the importance of creating trade corridors between Pakistan and Belarus, state media reported, noting that they could be instrumental in helping both countries access markets in Central Asia and Europe. 

Pakistan and Belarus have moved closer to foster stronger trade and economic cooperation in recent months. Both countries marked 30 years of diplomatic ties last year. Belarus’s prime minister visited Islamabad in October 2024 to meet key Pakistani civilian and military officials to bolster economic cooperation. 

Khan arrived in Minsk on an official two-day visit to the country on Thursday. He met Belarusian Minister of Energy Denis Moroz and the country’s Transport Minister Alexei Lyakhnovich, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. 

“He emphasized the importance of creating trade corridors between the two countries which could play a key role in facilitating access to Central Asian States through routes in Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, or Iran, ultimately opening up pathways to Eastern Europe,” APP reported. 

“Abdul Aleem Khan stated that these infrastructure projects would also be a strategic milestone.”

Khan highlighted the potential for “significant improvement” in the communications sector between both countries during his meeting with Belarusian ministers, APP said. 

It said the Pakistani minister is being hosted as a state guest in the eastern European country. He will have the opportunity to sign several new memoranda of understanding (MOUs) during his trip, APP said. 

Pakistan and Belarus agreed to boost cooperation in industry, media, tourism and other economic sectors during the eighth session of the Pakistan-Belarus Joint Ministerial Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation held in February this year. 

Islamabad has aggressively pushed for trade and investment ties with regional allies such as China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Central Asian countries and others recently in its bid to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis. 

Pakistan has signed MoUs worth billions of dollars with businesses and entities in China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Azerbaijan and other countries since last year to ensure sustainable economic growth driven by increasing exports and financial reforms mandated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 


Pakistan assumes Asian Cricket Council presidency, vows to accelerate sport’s global influence

Updated 03 April 2025
Follow

Pakistan assumes Asian Cricket Council presidency, vows to accelerate sport’s global influence

  • Defending champions India are scheduled to host Asia Cup later this year in T20 format
  • ACC, governing body for cricket in Asia, includes Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday assumed the presidency of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the board confirmed, vowing to enhance the sport’s global influence. 

The ACC is the governing body for cricket in Asia, established in 1983, to promote and develop the sport across the continent. It organizes major tournaments like the Asia Cup and works to improve cricket standards, provide financial support and strengthen ties between member countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka held ACC’s presidency before Pakistan officially took over the post from it on Apr. 3, according to the PCB.

“In accordance with the decision of the Asian Cricket Council, Pakistan has officially taken over the presidency from Sri Lanka Cricket,” the PCB said in a statement. 

“Effective immediately, Pakistan will lead the council in its mission to promote and expand cricket across the Asian continent.”

It added that the ACC was “poised to strengthen and expand” cricket’s presence across Asia by fostering growth and unity within the sport.

Meanwhile, in a press release, the ACC quoted Naqvi as saying that he was honored to assume the regional cricketing body’s presidency.

“Asia remains the heartbeat of world cricket and I am committed to working with all member boards to accelerate the game’s growth and global influence,” he said.

“Together, we will unlock new opportunities, foster greater collaboration and take Asian cricket to unprecedented heights.”

The PCB chief also extended his sincere wishes to outgoing ACC president Shammi Silva from Sri Lanka for his leadership and contributions during his tenure. 

India will host the next edition of the Men’s Asia Cup cricket tournament in the T20 format in 2025 as a precursor to the T20 World Cup scheduled in the country in 2026. 

The 2023 edition, hosted by the PCB, was held in a “hybrid model” as India refused to travel to Pakistan and played their matches in Sri Lanka.

India are the defending Asia Cup champions, and have won three of the last four editions of the tournament. They beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final of last year’s 50-overs edition in Colombo.


US tariff to have ‘mixed’ impact on Pakistan’s exports— financial analysts 

Updated 03 April 2025
Follow

US tariff to have ‘mixed’ impact on Pakistan’s exports— financial analysts 

  • United States is Pakistan’s largest export destination, importing $5.44 billion of Pakistan’s goods last year
  • Analysts say Pakistani exports will become cheaper than those offered by countries hit harder by tariffs

KARACHI: The impact of US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a reciprocal tariff of 29 percent on Pakistan’s exports is likely to have a “mixed” impact, financial analysts said on Thursday, pointing out that the wide-ranging tariffs will make exports offered by Islamabad’s rivals also costlier. 
Trump announced the decision to impose sanctions on several countries on Wednesday, defending the measures as necessary to address long-standing trade imbalances and what he described as unfair treatment of American goods abroad.
The US is Pakistan’s largest export destination, as it imported $5.44 billion of Pakistani goods last year, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. This fiscal year from July through February Pakistan earned $4 billion from its exports to the US, which registered a 10 percent increase over its $3.63 billion exports to the country in the same period last year. 
“The impact of these tariffs is expected to be mixed on Pakistan’s exports,” Samiullah Tariq, the group head of research and product development at the Pakistan Kuwait Investment Company Ltd., told Arab News. 
Last year, Pakistan’s total exports rose 11 percent to $30.7 billion from $27.7 billion compared to 2023, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Tariq said Pakistani goods would become cheaper than those offered by Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, on whom the Trump administration imposed higher tariffs. 
However, he explained that countries such as India, Jordan, Turkiye and certain Central American nations had been targeted with comparatively lower tariffs, making Pakistani goods costlier. 
 Washington has imposed tariffs of 37 percent, 34 percent, 46 percent and 49 percent on Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, respectively. It targeted India, Jordan and Turkiye with tariffs of 26 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent respectively. 
 
“Duties imposed on China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh are higher than Pakistan, while duties imposed on India are 300bps lower than Pakistan,” Topline Securities, a Karachi-based brokerage firm, noted in a report to clients.

TEXTILE TO TAKE A HIT

However, Sana Tawfiq, the head of research at Arif Habib Ltd. said the tariff would test the mettle of Pakistan’s export sector. 

“About 90 percent of our total exports to the US account for textiles that are expected to take a hit,” she told Arab News. 

She said some food and cement industries are also expected to “feel the pressure.”

“To mitigate the impact, Pakistan must adopt a reciprocal and strategic approach, including reducing energy costs, negotiating tariff relief, and diversifying trade markets,” Tawfiq noted. 

Topline Securities also said Pakistani textile exports may bear the brunt of the tariff imposition. 

“Theoretically, due to Pakistan’s duty disadvantage with India, Pakistan textile exports may face some pressure,” the brokerage firm said. 

Trump’s decision is expected to set back Pakistan’s efforts to revive its economy with the help of the International Monetary Fund’s bailout packages. 

The lender wants Islamabad to increase its revenues, attract foreign investments and enhance exports to cope with its longstanding balance of payment crisis.
 
Pakistan’s stock market closed Thursday’s session with the benchmark KSE-100 index gaining 0.96 percent to close at 118,938 points.
“Worries over 29 percent massive US reciprocal tariff levies on Pakistan and global equity selloff invited early session pressure,” Ahsan Mehanti, chief executive officer at Arif Habib Commodities Ltd., told Arab News. 
Pakistan may face increased competition in Europe as countries such as China, Vietnam and Bangladesh, hit harder with Washington’s tariffs, are expected to divert some of their exports from the US to European countries, Topline Securities said in its report.
 
Khurram Mukhtar, the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), remained confident Pakistan would continue to enjoy a competitive edge over major textile-exporting countries to the US. 
“Despite the tariff adjustments, Pakistan will continue to maintain a competitive edge over major textile-exporting countries to the US, owing to its complete supply chain, quality standards and established trade relationships,” Mukhtar told Arab News. 


Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand

Updated 03 April 2025
Follow

Pakistan fined again for slow ODI over-rate in New Zealand

  • Pakistan players fined 5 percent of match fees for being one over short of target on Wednesday
  • Visiting team was two overs short, fined 10 percent after losing first ODI by 73 runs on Saturday

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Pakistan has been penalized for a slow over-rate against New Zealand in their second one-day international in Hamilton this week.

Match referee Jeff Crowe fined the Pakistan players 5 percent of their match fees after they were one over short of the target on Wednesday after the time allowances were taken into consideration. New Zealand won by 84 runs.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan “pleaded guilty to the offense and accepted the sanction, eliminating the need for a formal hearing,” the International Cricket Council said on Thursday.
It was the second consecutive match after which Pakistan was fined for a slow over-rate. 

The visiting team was two overs short of the target and fined 10 percent after losing the first ODI by 73 runs at Napier last Saturday.

The third and last ODI is at Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
 


Pakistan’s inflation rate dropped to 0.7 percent in March, lowest in six decades

Updated 03 April 2025
Follow

Pakistan’s inflation rate dropped to 0.7 percent in March, lowest in six decades

  • Pakistan’s inflation rate stood at 1.5 percent in February and at 20.7 percent during March 2024
  • Prices of fresh fruits, eggs, sugar, chicken and readymade garments increased month-on-month

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s consumer price index (CPI) inflation rate dropped to 0.7 percent in March on a year-on-year basis, the country’s statistics bureau said on Thursday, the lowest in six decades amid signs of economic recovery. 

Pakistan’s inflation rate stood at 1.5 percent in February and 20.7 percent in March 2024, according to data shared by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) in its monthly review of price indices report. 

On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 0.9 percent in March as compared to a decrease of 0.8 percent in February. It increased by 1.7 percent in March 2024.

“CPI inflation general decreased to 0.7 percent on year-on-year basis in March 2025 as compared to 1.5 percent of the previous month and 20.7 percent in March 2024,” the PBS said. 

The commodities whose prices increased month-on-month included tomatoes (36.35 percent), fresh fruits (18.66 percent), eggs (14.92 percent), sugar (11.48 percent), chicken (10.87 percent), fresh vegetables (6.13 percent), butter (2.70 percent), neat (1.60 percent) and pulse moong (0.70 percent). 

While prices of non-food items that increased month-on-month include readymade garments (2.15 percent), tailoring (1.84 percent), liquified hydrocarbons (1.83 percent), cotton cloth (1.74 percent), accommodation services (1.47 percent), hosiery (1.33 percent), education (1.23 percent) and plastic products. 

Aggressive policy rate cuts by Pakistan’s central bank and a series of economic reforms by the government have led to a substantial decline in Pakistan’s annual inflation rate.

Pakistan’s inflation rate rose to a record high of 38 percent in May 2023 on account of surging food and fuel costs as Islamabad withdrew energy and fuel subsidies under a deal agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a financial bailout package.

In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Shehbaz Sharif said the reduction in prices was proof of the “right direction” of the government’s economic policies. 

“Currently, the inflation rate in the country is at its lowest level in six decades,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.

“This year even during the month of Ramadan, the inflation rate was recorded at its lowest level in the last several decades,” he added.