Pakistan Military Court Hands Former Intelligence Chief Faiz Hameed 14-Year Sentence
The Pakistani military says former intelligence chief Lt. Gen. (ret.) Faiz Hameed has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment by a military court after being found guilty on four charges in a court-martial proceeding.
Faiz Hameed served as the head of the country’s powerful intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), during former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tenure.
This is the first time in Pakistan that an ISI chief has been sentenced following a court-martial.
According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations on Thursday, the former ISI chief was handed the sentence following a 15-month Field General Court-Martial process that began Aug. 12, 2024, under the Pakistan Army Act.
ISPR stated that “the accused was tried on four charges, including involvement in political activities, violation of the Official Secrets Act causing harm to the interests of the state, misuse of powers and government resources, and causing harm to citizens.”
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According to the press release, “During the judicial proceedings, the Field General Court-Martial fulfilled all legal requirements and granted the accused all his rights, including the right to choose his own defense team. The accused also has the right to appeal this decision through the appropriate forum.”
However, the release also stated that “several other matters, including the accused’s alleged collaboration with political actors to incite unrest and create instability, are being considered separately.”
Legal experts say the former top spy can file appeals against the sentence handed down after his court-martial through various forums. The accused has the right to file with the Army Court of Appeal within 40 days of the sentencing, and all these rights are thoroughly communicated to him.
The Army Court of Appeal is usually headed by a military officer of lieutenant general rank and also includes representation from the army’s legal branch, the Judge Advocate General.
Hameed first came into the public eye in 2017, when the religious-political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan announced a nationwide protest and staged a sit-in at Islamabad’s Faizabad Interchange for several days.
During this protest, which was sparked by changes to the wording of the oath on the Finality of Prophethood in the 2017 election bill, Gen. Faiz Hameed played a key role in ending the sit-in, bringing him into the news spotlight.
He came into the public eye again in 2019, after being appointed head of the intelligence agency ISI.
When the Afghan Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, Gen. Faiz Hameed made headlines the next day as the first senior foreign officer to visit the city.
A photograph of him drinking tea at the Serena Hotel in Kabul drew widespread attention from international media.
