Faizabad sit-in inquiry commission clears Faiz Hameed of any wrongdoing

Faizabad sit-in inquiry commission has cleared Faiz Hameed of any wrongdoing!

The inquiry commission formed to probe the November 2017 Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) Faizabad sit-in has absolved the former director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), retired Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, of the charges. 

On Tuesday, three-member commission headed by former AIG KP Dr Akhtar Ali Shah and former IG Tahir Alam and Khushhal Khan finalised a 243-page report, submitted to the Supreme Court and the government.

In its report, the commission found no link to establish the involvement of former DG ISI Lt Gen (r) Faiz Hameed and former DG Rangers Maj Gen Naveed Azhar Hayat.

The report also included statements made in person or submitted in writing by former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, incumbent IB chief Fawad Asadullah, firmer 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.

The commission found that the Punjab government did not take action against the TLP so that its vote bank would remain intact.

“The Army is a sacred arm of the state, therefore to avoid criticism, the institution may not be involved in public matters. This task may be assigned to [the Intelligence Bureau] and civil administration,” the report added.

The commission in its findings also called for “zero tolerance” towards violent extremism and suggested the government review its policies to address the root causes of the menace.

The report added that the fallout from the Faizabad dharna was “more due to lack of courage of conviction of the leader handling the issue and in particular the government of Punjab”.

An inquiry commission was formed to probe the Faizabad sit-in constituted under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017 to ensure compliance with the February 6, 2019, apex court verdict, authored by then-Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

The commission also noted that since no one from among the then-PM, former ministers for law, and interior and the former Punjab chief minister accused intelligence agencies of facilitating the protesters, nor was any evidence furnished to this effect, the commission could not connect any organisation or state official with the TLP dharna.