Ex-ISI chief Faiz Hameed’s brother sent to jail in graft case

RAWALPINDI: A local court sent retired naib tehsildar Najaf Hameed to Adiala jail on a 14-day judicial remand after his bail application was rejected.

Najaf is the brother of former ISI chief General (retired) Faiz Hameed. Najaf, along with co-accused persons, had sought pre-arrest bail in the FIR registered with the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

The FIR alleged that former minister for mineral resources Ammar Yasir acquired properties worth billions of rupees which were undervalued in the revenue record in connivance with government officials, including Najaf Hameed.

The accused persons from the revenue department filed pre-arrest bail petitions before Special Judge of ACE Ali Nawaz Bikhar. The court granted interim bail to the other accused persons except Najaf, as he was not present during the hearing.

Najaf appeared before the court but surprising went to a friend in the district courts. His bail plea was dismissed in his absence. The judge refused to revisit the order on denying bail.

Najaf was then produced before Senior Civil Judge Waqar Hussain Gondal. His counsel filed a post-arrest bail petition before the ACE court. The judge issued notices and adjourned the hearing till March 20.

A day earlier, dormer tehsildar Najaf Hameed has been arrested from the premises of the Anti-Corruption Court after his bail application was dismissed in a corruption and bribery case.

ACE officials arrested Najaf Hameed and left for Chakwal on court orders.  Around 18 suspects were booked in a case of bribery, misuse of authority and losses to the national exchequer.

Najaf was later once again presented before Judge Ali Nawaz Bhakar of the Anti-Corruption Special Court. The court dismissed his pre-arrest bail application. Najaf then decided to approach the senior civil judge (criminal) for pre-arrest bail.

In April 2023, the ACE initiated an inquiry against him on allegations of out-of-turn promotion and accumulating assets beyond means.

The anti-graft body wrote a letter to the deputy commissioners of Rawalpindi and Chakwal asking for the record of land owned by Najaf Hameed. On February 13, he was suspended from the post of naib tehsildar in Chakwal over alleged misconduct.