A close aide of Pakistan’s former ISI chief Lt General (Retd) Faiz Hameed, who has been in the Pakistan Army’s custody on corruption and other changes, has fled the country to evade arrest, according to a media report.
Mohsin Habib Warriach, who is said to have managed major business deals for Gen Hameed in Pakistan and abroad, has reportedly fled to the UK, Samaa TV reported.
Several military officers and some civilians have been taken into custody in connection with the alleged links with Hameed.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi didn’t confirm nor deny reports about Warriach’s leaving the country.
Gen Hameed is facing court-martial proceedings for misusing his position to extort money from a private housing society and his role in May 9 attacks on military installations and his close ties with jailed former prime minister Imran Khan are also being probed. Khan feared that Gen Hameed might be used against him as an approver so that he could be tried at a military court. Warraich, son of former federal minister retired Maj Habibullah Warraich, reportedly left the country for the UK before the arrest of Hameed. According to the report, Warriach, a central figure in the multi-billion rupees scam at the National Insurance Company Limited, has been managing major business deals for Hameed since 2014. He was the frontman of Hameed in securing business deals for the former spymaster.
Gen Hameed led the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) during Khan’s administration from 2019 to 2021 before taking early retirement in December 2022. Hameed was arrested following action in the complaint of a private property developer over alleged misuse of official authority. According to the report, Warriach travelled the world on behalf of Hameed, acting as his de facto representative, negotiating and executing deals, often introducing himself as an arms dealer working for the Pakistan Army.
“Warriach visited Russia on at least one occasion on behalf of Hameed to secure a major arms deal. Hameed was, in fact, going above and beyond merely confirming Warriach’s role as an official representative of the Pakistan army,” it said.
