ISLAMABAD: Former DG Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Faiz Hameed (retd) denied influencing the superior judiciary and removal of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui as a judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The ex-ISI chief on Monday filed his reply to the allegations levelled by the petitioner (Shaukat Siddiqui) stating those are absolutely false, frivolous, concocted and based on an afterthought, and are controverted.
The Lt Gen stated that he never approached the petitioner at his residence on June 29, 2018, or on July 19, 2018, for apologizing to the petitioner regarding the alleged conduct of Brig Ramay or for seeking guidance to protect the prestige of the ISI, by modifying any order passed by the petitioner.
The allegation made in para 1.d of the petition is, therefore, denied as absolutely false and concocted.
Gen Faiz also stated that he never inquired from Shaukat Siddiqui about the procedure of hearing of appeals in the IHC on judgment and conviction by the NAB Court of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, etc, or asked the ex-judge IHC about his views in case the appeals came to him (Shaukat Siddiqui).
His reply stated that further allegations made by Shaukat Siddiqui to the effect that in response to his reply that as per oath administered to every judge he would be deciding the case purely on merits, when he (Gen Faiz) uttered the words “is tarah tau hamari 2 saal ki mehnat zaya ho jaeygi (this will ruin our efforts of two years,” is also false and concocted.
Former chief justice of IHC, Justice Anwar Kasi (retired), also submitted a response rejecting the allegations made by Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. Brigadier (retired) Irfan Ramey’s reply was also presented, where he denied the accusations and meetings put forward by Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui.
Justice (retired) Anwar Kasi asserted that no secret agency attempted to influence during his tenure. The response highlighted the need for Shaukat Siddiqui to provide any material supporting the allegations, but none was provided.
A five-judge, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, on December 15, 2023, hearing the petitions of Shaukat Siddiqui, IBA, and Karachi Bar Association had issued notices to ex-DG ISI Faiz Hameed, former chief justice of IHC Anwar Kasi, Brig (retired) Irfan Ramay, and the ex-registrar apex court Arbab Muhammad Arif in the case of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s removal as a judge of the IHC.
The Supreme Court on the last date had passed an order; “Since direct allegations have been levelled against the respondents (Lt-Gen Faiz), therefore, it would be appropriate to give them an opportunity to respond to the allegation and to proceed further in the matter after considering their respective replies.”
Shaukat Siddiqui in his petition has mentioned that Faiz Hameed has visited his residence twice. First, with Brig (retired) Ramay and second, he came alone and pressurised him not to grant bail to Nawaz Sharif before the elections. He also stated in the petition that Faiz once told him that as he was not cooperating with them, therefore, General Bajwa is annoyed with him.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.