Faiz Hameed Will Not Testify Against Imran Khan, Lawyer Clarifies

ISLAMABAD:The lawyer of former Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed has categorically denied reports suggesting that his client may turn a state witness against former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.
Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq, counsel for Faiz Hameed, rejected such claims, terming them “speculative and baseless.” Responding to queries from *The News*, he said there was “no truth whatsoever” in reports circulating in media and political circles that Faiz Hameed was considering becoming a prosecution witness in cases against Imran Khan.

“These reports are completely unfounded and based purely on conjecture,” the lawyer stated.

The clarification comes amid repeated claims by some federal ministers and Senator Faisal Vawda—known for his proximity to the establishment—that the former DG ISI would testify against the ex-prime minister. Speculation has also persisted about an alleged nexus between Imran Khan and Faiz Hameed, particularly in the context of the violent events of May 9, 2023.

When asked whether he had discussed the matter directly with his client, Barrister Ashfaq avoided a direct response but said, “I know this as a matter of fact,” reinforcing the stance that there was no question of Faiz Hameed becoming a state witness against the PTI founder.

He further said that allegations of a nexus between Imran Khan and Faiz Hameed were part of a state-backed narrative that has been repeatedly promoted since the May 9 incidents, during which attacks were carried out on military installations following Imran Khan’s arrest.

Speculation intensified further after a military court recently sentenced Faiz Hameed to 14 years in prison. Senior members of the federal cabinet, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, have repeatedly claimed that the violent incidents were the result of a coordinated plan between Imran Khan and the former DG ISI.

However, despite these claims, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has not stated in any of its briefings that there was an established nexus between Imran Khan and Faiz Hameed.

Notably, when *The News* recently asked government spokespersons and the information minister whether these allegations were based on findings of any civil or military investigations or merely on circumstantial evidence, they avoided a direct response and advised seeking clarification from ISPR.