Khawaja Asif hints at Imran Khan's 'open trial' in military court

• No precedent of any general's open trial in history: minister.
• May 9 protests were pre-planned, says Khawaja Asif.
• Says Khan stayed in contact with Faiz after riots.

Responding to incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder's demand for an "open trial" of ex-spymaster Faiz Hamid, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that Imran Khan's trial will be open if it is held in a military court in connection with May 9 riots.

The defence minister's statement came hours after the former premier called for an open trial of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hamid who was taken into custody by the military over alleged abuse of power and the Army Act violation earlier this month.

"We don't have any precedent that any general’s military trial held in an open court in the country's history," said Asif while speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath.

"If the PTI founder faces any trial in a military court, then I can assure you that it would be open to the public and media because he is a civilian."

He further clarified that it is the military's tradition not to conduct open trials of its employees and officers.

Accusing the former ruling party of working in collusion with the detained former spy chief, Asif said that the last year's May 9 violent protests triggered by Khan's arrest and saw attacks on state properties including military installations were pre-planned.

He further alleged that the PTI founder provided the manpower for the May 9 riots while the former top spy "masterminded the conspiracy". 

When questioned about the deposed prime minister's statements denying any connections with the former ISI chief, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader claimed that not only Khan, PTI's second-tier leadership had openly admitted to being in contact with Gen (retd) Faiz even after May 9, 2023, riots.

During an informal interaction with journalists in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail earlier today, the former prime minister, who was removed from office via a parliamentary vote in 2022, said the open trial of ex-ISI chief would benefit the country and allow it to prosper.

Responding to Khan’s statement, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar termed the ex-prime minister’s statement an intervention in the army’s affairs.

Taking a swipe at the former PM, the information said the PTI founder was continuously trying to make the matter related to the army’s internal accountability process “controversial” through his statements.

Following the former spymaster's arrest, the ex-premier had distanced himself from the retired general, who served as DG ISI during his tenure, claiming that he has no connection with him.

"If the military wants the accountability of General Faiz [then] it should proceed and do it," Khan said, asserting that it is the army's internal matter.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had announced the arrest of the former ISI chief on August 12, saying that he was "taken into custody" over allegations of land grabbing and snatching valuables from the owner of a private housing society.

"Complying with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a detailed court of inquiry was undertaken by the Pakistan Army to ascertain the correctness of complaints in the Top City Case made against Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid," the army's media wing said.

The process of court martial has been initiated against the former chief of the country's premier spy agency over complaints in the Top City Case, it added.

Three more retired officers were taken into military custody after Hamid’s arrest in connection with the same housing scheme case.

Sources told Geo News that two of the officers in the military custody were of brigadier rank and one was of colonel rank.

The two retired brigadiers were identified as Ghaffar and Naeem while the retired colonel’s name is Asim, they said, adding that they worked as messengers between a political party and the ex-spymaster.