Pentagon declines to comment on army officers’ arrest in Pakistan

The arrest of several retired Army officers in Pakistan, including former ISI director general Lt-General (retd) Faiz Hameed is Islamabad’s internal matter, the Pentagon said, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Addressing a news briefing in Washington, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said “I just don’t have anything for you on that. That’s really a Pakistani internal matter for them to speak to.”

In a shocking development on Monday, the Pakistani military’s media wing said that Faiz Hameed has been taken into military custody and the process of field general court martial has been initiated against him about the Top City housing scheme scandal. “Appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against the former spymaster under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Later on August 15, the military arrested another three retired army officers for their alleged link with former ISI DG Faiz Hameed.

The deputy Pentagon press secretary was asked about the US reaction to the recent decisions taken by the Pakistan military relating to the alleged violations of the Military Act, 1992 committed by former army officials.

The reporter also sought the Pentagon’s reaction to the senior politicians’ statement that apparently the US only contacts the Pakistani military more directly instead of the people-to-people relationship instead of the diplomatic.

In response, Sabrina Singh said: “The US values our partnership with Pakistan and engages with both military and civilian leaders based on mutual interests.”

She reiterated that the US was committed to working with the South Asian country to support stability. “And we remain committed to working with Pakistan to support regional stability and our mutual goals, and I’ll just have to leave it at that.”