PTI founder Imran Khan has distanced the party from former intelligence chief Lt Gen (retired) Faiz Hameed, with whom he had close ties, a day after the latter’s arrest and termed the issue the “army’s internal matter”, a PTI lawyer said on Tuesday.

In an unprecedented step, the army on Monday announ­ced Gen Hameed’s arrest, the previous head of the premier Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, on allegations of violating the Army Act. According to a source, Gen Hameed was taken into custody a few days back from Rawalpindi when he was summoned for a meeting by a senior military official.

The move, prompted by allegations of misconduct levelled by the owner of a private housing society, shattered the long-standing perception that spy chiefs were untouchable in the country where generals have long wielded unparalleled influence.

The army cited a Nove­m­ber 2023 directive from the Supreme Court of Pak­i­s­tan, which instructed Ka­n­­war Moeez Khan, own­er of Islamabad’s Top City housing society, to seek redressal of grievances against Gen Hameed thro­ugh relevant channels, including the Ministry of Defence, as the basis for initiating action against the former spymaster.

PTI lawyer Intezar Panjutha held a meeting with the incarcerated party founder today in Adiala Jail and briefed the media regarding the talks, as well as the former premier’s thoughts on Gen Hameed’s arrest.

“Khan sahib said just this that ‘it is the army’s internal matter’ and that whatever action the army has taken has nothing to do with the PTI or Khan sahib.”

Gen Hameed’s background is equally significant in the political landscape of Pakistan. He served as the director general of the ISI from 2019 to 2021 and was frequently criticised by the PTI’s opposition for his alleged support of and ties with Imran.

His removal from the ISI chief position in 2021 is believed to have resulted in the rift between Imran and the military establishment, which culminated in the ex-prime minister’s ousting in 2022 through a vote of no-confidence.

Questioned about the former spymaster’s arrest related to the housing society and whether the PTI would be linked to it, Panjutha said Imran was “clear on this matter and has said: ‘We never had a political relationship with Gen Faiz or anyone. My relationship with him was till October 2021 when he was changed [as ISI chief]’”.

At this, Panjutha said Imran alleged that former army chief Gen (r) Qamar Javed Bajwa “changed him (Gen Hameed as ISI chief) for the sake of his extension in a deal with Nawaz Sharif”.

The lawyer reiterated that Imran said: “I only had a professional relationship with Gen Faiz till he was working under me as the DG ISI and I had no other association apart from that.”

The PTI lawyer further said: “Khan sahib said just one thing that ‘if these developments are connected with May 9 then it is a very good opportunity.’”

Panjutha said the party had always maintained that there should be a judicial commission set up to investigate the events of the violent nationwide protests last year after Imran’s arrest and it should determine two things which the party had been demanding since the first day.

“Who ordered the abduction of Khan sahib from the Islamabad High Court? Whoever gave the order [also] planned the May 9 conspiracy.”

He further said that Imran also called for CCTV footage of the day, particularly incidents of arson and vandalism, to be made public and those involved to be held responsible. Panjutha said the PTI had nothing to do with the aforementioned events.

The PTI lawyer reiterated that Imran said if Gen Hameed indeed had any alleged role in the events of May 9, as claimed by many government ministers, then a judicial commission should be set up to determine roles and responsibilities.