Daily Times

Despite repeated summons, former ISI Chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid once again failed to attend the Faizabad inquiry commission’s hearing investigating the 2017 protest sit-in by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), as reported by Geo News on Tuesday.

Sources revealed that the commission scheduled the former spy chief’s appearance for 10:30 am on Tuesday, but he did not present himself before the panel. Considering his continued absence, the commission is now contemplating the option of recording his statement via video link, insiders added.

This marks the third instance where Faiz Hamid has missed the inquiry commission’s hearing, having been initially summoned in the second week of December last year and later on December 29. The first notice, however, could not be delivered.

In November of the previous year, the caretaker federal government established the inquiry commission to execute the Supreme Court’s 2019 Faizabad verdict. The panel, chaired by retired IGP Akhtar Ali Shah, was formed after the Supreme Court rejected the government’s fact-finding committee report.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, on November 15, stated that the commission held the authority to summon individuals, including former army chiefs, prime ministers, and chief justices.

The inquiry commission is mandated to submit its report to the Supreme Court by January 22. Additionally, the panel has summoned PML-N President and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on January 3. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, then-Secretary to PM Fawad Hasan Fawad, and other senior officials involved in the episode had previously appeared before the probe panel.