Pakistan Ex-Intelligence Chief jailed 14 years by military court
Hameed, who headed the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2021 under then–prime minister Imran Khan, is the first ex-ISI boss in the country’s history to be court-martialled.
Pakistan’s former intelligence chief, Lt Gen (rtd) Faiz Hameed, has been handed a 14-year prison sentence by a military court on charges that include breaching state secrets and meddling in politics.
Hameed, who headed the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2021 under then–prime minister Imran Khan, is the first ex-ISI boss in the country’s history to be court-martialled. The ISI post is widely regarded as the second most influential role in Pakistan’s military hierarchy.
A statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the court martial proceedings, conducted under the Pakistan Army Act, began on 12 August 2024 and lasted around 15 months.
He was tried on four counts, including:
Engaging in political activities
Violating the Official Secrets Act in a way that “harmed the interest of the state”
Misusing official authority and government resources
Causing harm to citizens
According to ISPR, Hameed was allowed to assemble a defence team of his choosing and retains the right to challenge the verdict before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The hearings were held behind closed doors, and detailed evidence has not been made public.
The military’s media wing added that separate proceedings are addressing allegations that Hameed helped stir political unrest and instability — widely understood to relate to claims linking him to protests that followed Imran Khan’s arrest on 9 May 2023.
Hameed, seen as a close ally of Khan, took early retirement in 2022 shortly after the former premier was ousted in a no-confidence vote and later jailed.
