No plans to enter politics, says ex-DG ISI Faiz Hameed

Islamabad, Dec 16 (IANS) After being invited to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Inter-Services Intelligence's (ISI) former chief, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (retd) has said that he will never join politics, media reports said.

Talking to The News, the former Director General of the ISI said that all speculations about him joining politics or becoming part of PTI were totally false.

"I will not join politics after two-year bar nor afterwards," the former spymaster told the paper.

A day earlier, a video had gone viral where the former three-star officer of the Pakistan Army was invited by the local PTI leadership in Chakwal to join the Imran Khan-led party, The News reported.

The video showed Hameed attending a gathering in his native village in Chakwal. In it, an unidentified person, addressing the gathering, praised the former spy chief for his services in the military and the development of the area.

The speaker urged the retired Lt General to join politics and play his role in the development of the country.

The speaker thanked him for his active involvement in development works worth millions of rupees in their area during his years in service.

Hameed had retired from service after General Asim Munir took command of the Pakistan Army as the Chief of Army Staff.

The former DG ISI had requested early retirement after the Prime Minister had approved Gen Munir and Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza's elevation to the four-star rank.