ISLAMABAD – ISI chief Lieutenant General (Retired) Faiz Hameed has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment after Field General Court Martial, Pakistan Army said. His conviction is said to be one of most significant actions taken by military against former senior intelligence official.
Hameed, a former 3-star general, first gained attention in 2017 during Faizabad sit-in, when he played a key role in negotiating an end to the TLP protest sparked by changes to the Election Bill 2017. His prominence grew further after he was appointed Director General of the ISI in 2019, and in 2021 he again made international headlines when he was photographed drinking tea at Kabul’s Serena Hotel shortly after the Taliban takeover.
Who is Faiz Hameed?
He graduated in 76th Long Course, and served in several important positions during his career, including Chief of Staff of X Corps, General Officer Commanding in Pano Aqil, DG Counter-Intelligence at the ISI, Adjutant General at GHQ, and later as Corps Commander Peshawar and Bahawalpur.
His career took an abrupt turn in November 2022, when General Asim Munir was appointed Army Chief, after which Hameed opted for early retirement.
The legal proceedings against him started when owner of the Top City housing society filed a petition in the Supreme Court on November 8, 2023, alleging that Hameed had misused his authority. The petition accused him of directing ISI officials to raid the petitioner’s home and office on May 12, 2017, during which gold, diamonds, cash, and other valuables were allegedly seized.
Acting on the Supreme Court’s directives, Pakistan Army initiated a Court of Inquiry in April 2024, which later advanced to a Summary of Evidence. Last year, the inquiry escalated into Field General Court Martial, during which Hameed was taken into custody and formally charged.
The charges against him included involvement in political activities, violations of the Official Secrets Act that harmed state security and national interest, misuse of authority and government resources, and causing unlawful harm to individuals. He was also under investigation for potential links to the unrest that occurred on May 9.
The military’s court martial process involves three stages, an initial inquiry, the recording of evidence, and a full court martial when sufficient grounds are established. With the proceedings concluded, the military confirmed that all four major charges were proven.
Lieutenant General (r) Faiz Hameed was handed 14-year sentence of rigorous imprisonment, bringing dramatic end to the public and professional trajectory of one of the most discussed military figures in recent years.
